核磁共振功能成像T2~*对重型β-地中海贫血患儿脑组织铁过载的评价

目的分析核磁共振功能成像T2~*在重型β-地中海贫血患儿脑组织铁过载的评价中的应用价值。方法 2009年1月至2016年9月深圳市第二人民医院儿科收治住院的长期高量输血的重型β-地中海贫血患儿100例,为观察组,同期选取进行核磁共振成像T2~*检查的健康体检者25例为对照组。根据血清铁蛋白水平将观察组分为两个亚组:轻度组(1.0~2.5g/L)57例,重度组(2.5g/L)43例。观察组及对照组均行核磁共振功能成像T2~*检查,比较两组脑组织不同部位T2~*值。比较轻度组与重度组脑组织T2~*及脑脊液铁代谢蛋白水平并进行相关性分析。结果观察组脑组织不同部位T2~*值均显著低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05),且观察组脑组织不同部位T2~*值从低到高依次为苍白球红核黑质壳核齿状核尾状核灰质白质小脑。重度组脑组织T2~*值、转铁蛋白、亚铁转运膜蛋白1、血红素氧化酶1显著低于轻度组,铁蛋白、铜蓝蛋白、铁调素显著高于轻度组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。转铁蛋白、亚铁转运膜蛋白1、血红素氧化酶1与T2~*值呈正相关(r=0.309、0.617、0.326,P0.05),与铁蛋白、铜蓝蛋白、铁调素呈负相关(r=-0.512、-0.474、-0.639,P0.05)。结论核磁共振成像T2~*技术有助于评价β-地中海贫血患儿脑组织铁过载及评估疾病程度,值得临床上推广应用。     

不同栽培模式对粗茎秦艽根际土壤微生物多样性与次生代谢产物含量的影响

目的 探讨不同栽培模式对粗茎秦艽产量及其根际土壤微生物多样性和次生代谢产物含量的影响。方法 以不同栽培模式粗茎秦艽及其根际土壤为研究对象,采用高通量测序技术,分析根际土壤中细菌和真菌群落组成及优势菌群和差异微生物;采用高效液相色谱法测定不同栽培模式粗茎秦艽中环烯醚萜类成分含量。结果 相较于地膜种植,采取无地膜种植与间作牡丹、白芸豆、土豆和玉米等作物后,粗茎秦艽鲜品增产16.11%~17.68%、22.48%~26.34%、29.37%~32.19%、34.82%~36.57%和35.34%~39.71%,干品增产19.75%~23.17%、25.86%~29.32%、30.18%~34.94%、35.22%~39.87%和39.72%~43.73%,龙胆苦苷、马钱苷酸、獐牙菜苷和獐牙菜苦苷4种环烯醚萜类成分总含量分别提高10.17%~37.83%、5.93%~47.44%、9.09%~28.84%和10.71%~28.57%。根际土壤中细菌和真菌群落多样性明显增高（P<0.05）,其中粪壳菌纲（Sordariomycetes）、锤舌菌纲（Leotiomycetes）、银耳菌纲（Tremellomycetes）、散囊菌纲（Eurotiomycetes）、镰刀菌属（Fusarium）和支孢甁霉属（Cladophialophora）等致病菌群相对丰度降低,变形菌门（Proteobacteria）、酸杆菌门（Acidobacteria）和放线菌门（Actinobacteriota）等有益菌群比例增高且逐渐成为优势菌群。结论 粗茎秦艽不同栽培模式可影响其产量和根际土壤微生物群落多样性及环烯醚萜类成分的累积,无地膜种植和间作模式具有一定优势,可为粗茎秦艽种植提供理论参考。     

Impact of Lipid Genetic Risk Score and Saturated Fatty Acid Intake on Central Obesity in an Asian Indian Population

Abnormalities in lipid metabolism have been linked to the development of obesity. We used a nutrigenetic approach to establish a link between lipids and obesity in Asian Indians, who are known to have a high prevalence of central obesity and dyslipidaemia. A sample of 497 Asian Indian individuals (260 with type 2 diabetes and 237 with normal glucose tolerance) (mean age: 44 ± 10 years) were randomly chosen from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiological Study (CURES). Dietary intake was assessed using a previously validated questionnaire. A genetic risk score (GRS) was constructed based on cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) genetic variants. There was a significant interaction between GRS and saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake on waist circumference (WC) (P_interaction = 0.006). Individuals with a low SFA intake (≤23.2 g/day), despite carrying ≥2 risk alleles, had a smaller WC compared to individuals carrying <2 risk alleles (Beta = −0.01 cm; p = 0.03). For those individuals carrying ≥2 risk alleles, a high SFA intake (>23.2 g/day) was significantly associated with a larger WC than a low SFA intake (≤23.2 g/day) (Beta = 0.02 cm, p = 0.02). There were no significant interactions between GRS and other dietary factors on any of the measured outcomes. We conclude that a diet low in SFA might help reduce the genetic risk of central obesity confirmed by CETP and LPL genetic variants. Conversely, a high SFA diet increases the genetic risk of central obesity in Asian Indians.     

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical radiography practice in low resource settings: The Ghanaian radiographers’ perspective

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has altered the professional practice of all healthcare workers, including radiographers. In the pandemic, clinical practice of radiographers was centred mostly on chest imaging of COVID-19 patients and radiotherapy treatment care delivery to those with cancer. This study aimed to assess the radiographers’ perspective on the impact of the pandemic on their wellbeing and imaging service delivery in Ghana.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of practising radiographers in Ghana was conducted online from March 26th to May 6th, 2020. A previously validated questionnaire that sought information regarding demographics, general perspectives on personal and professional impact of the pandemic was used as the research instrument. Data obtained was analysed using Microsoft Excel® 2016.ResultsA response rate of 57.3% (134/234) was obtained. Of the respondents, 75.4% (n = 101) reported to have started experiencing high levels of workplace-related stress after the outbreak. Three-quarters (n = 98, 73.1%) of respondents reported limited access to any form of psychosocial support systems at work during the study period. Half (n = 67, 50%) of the respondents reported a decline in general workload during the study period while only a minority (n = 18, 13.4%) reported an increase in workload due to COVID-19 cases.ConclusionThis national survey indicated that majority of the workforce started experiencing coronavirus-specific workplace-related stress after the outbreak. Albeit speculative, low patient confidence and fear of contracting the COVID-19 infection on hospital attendance contributed to the decline in general workload during the study period.Implications for practiceIn order to mitigate the burden of workplace-related stress on frontline workers, including radiographers, and in keeping to standard practices for staff mental wellbeing and patient safety, institutional support structures are necessary in similar future pandemics.     

Higher Intake of Dairy Is Associated with Lower Cardiometabolic Risks and Metabolic Syndrome in Asian Indians

There is conflicting evidence about the association between dairy products and cardiometabolic risk (CMR). We aimed to assess the association of total dairy intake with CMR factors and to investigate the association of unfermented and fermented dairy intake with CMR in Asian Indians who are known to have greater susceptibility to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases compared to white Europeans. The study comprised 1033 Asian Indian adults with normal glucose tolerance chosen from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiological Study (CURES). Dietary intake was assessed using a validated open-ended semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Metabolic syndrome (MS) was diagnosed based on the new harmonising criteria using central obesity, dyslipidaemia [low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and increased serum triglycerides (TG)], hypertension and glucose intolerance. Increased consumption of dairy (≥5 cups per day of total, ≥4 cups per day of unfermented or ≥2 cups per day of fermented dairy) was associated with a lower risk of high fasting plasma glucose (FPG) [hazards ratio (HR), 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.68, 0.48–0.96 for total dairy; 0.57, 0.34–0.94 for unfermented dairy; and 0.64, 0.46–0.90 for fermented dairy; p < 0.05 for all] compared to a low dairy intake (≤1.4 cups per day of total dairy; ≤1 cup per day of unfermented dairy; and ≤0.1 cup per day of fermented dairy). A total dairy intake of ≥5 cups per day was also protective against high blood pressure (BP) (HR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.43–0.99, p < 0.05), low HDL (HR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.43–0.92, p < 0.05) and MS (HR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.51–0.98, p < 0.05) compared to an intake of ≤1.4 cups per day. A high unfermented dairy intake (≥4 cups per day) was also associated with a lower risk of high body mass index (BMI) (HR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.31–0.88, p < 0.05) compared to a low intake (≤1 cup per day), while a reduced risk of MS was observed with a fermented dairy intake of ≥2 cups per day (HR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.51–0.98, p < 0.05) compared to an intake of ≤0.1 cup per day. In summary, increased consumption of dairy was associated with a lower risk of MS and components of CMR.