The association of depression status with menopause symptoms among rural midlife women in China

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the association of depression with menopausal status and some menopause symptoms (vasomotor symptoms and poor sleep).Methods: A total of 743 participants aged 40-60 years were recruited. Depression status was evaluated by using Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Sleep quality and vasomotor symptoms were evaluated by specific symptoms questionnaire.Results: The prevalence of depression among participants was 11.4%. Depression was found more likely to occur in participants with poor sleep (OR, 6.02; 95%CI, 3.61, 10.03) or with vasomotor symptoms (VMS) (OR, 2.03; 95%CI, 1.20, 3.44) after controlling for age, education level, marital status, menopause status, monthly family income and chronic diseases. Menopause status was not associated with depression. Stratification analysis showed a significant association between poor sleep and depression across different menopause stages, while VMS were associated with depression only in premenopausal status.Conclusion: The majority of Chinese rural midlife women do not experience depression. The relationship between depression, VMS and sleep disturbances tends to change with menopausal status in Chinese rural midlife women.Keywords: depression, poor sleep, vasomotor symptoms, menopause, rural wome

The association of depression status with menopause symptoms among rural midlife women in China.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the association of depression with menopausal status and some menopause symptoms (vasomotor symptoms and poor sleep). Methods: A total of 743 participants aged 40-60 years were recruited. Depression status was evaluated by using Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Sleep quality and vasomotor symptoms were evaluated by specific symptoms questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of depression among participants was 11.4%. Depression was found more likely to occur in participants with poor sleep (OR, 6.02; 95%CI, 3.61, 10.03) or with vasomotor symptoms (VMS) (OR, 2.03; 95%CI, 1.20, 3.44) after controlling for age, education level, marital status, menopause status, monthly family income and chronic diseases. Menopause status was not associated with depression. Stratification analysis showed a significant association between poor sleep and depression across different menopause stages, while VMS were associated with depression only in premenopausal status. Conclusion: The majority of Chinese rural midlife women do not experience depression. The relationship between depression, VMS and sleep disturbances tends to change with menopausal status in Chinese rural midlife women

Experimental research and mechanism analysis of combined gravity-magnetic separation on coal gasification fine slag

Abstract Coal gasification fine slag (CGFS) is a solid waste produced in the process of coal gasification. The separation of residue carbon in CGFS is essential for its resource utilization. In this study, the basic physical properties of CGFS were analyzed and the effect of physical separation experiments were carried out. The gravity separation results indicated that the coarser particle size fraction achieved a good separation effect. The High-carbon product has a yield of 12.53% with an ash content of 16.84%, and the High-ash product has a yield of 17.85% with an ash content of 98.15% were obtained. Theoretical calculations indicated that the apparent density difference between residue carbon and ash minerals in the water phase environment was the basis for achieving separation. The Rich-ash product was further separated by magnetic separation, and both magnetic field characteristics, water elutriation frequency and grinding time had impacts on the magnetic separation effect. Compared to gravity separation alone, the combined gravity-magnetic separation further enhanced the separation effect of residue carbon and ash minerals. The ash content of the Rich-ash product decreased from 80.56% to 69.52% due to the removal of high-ash Fe oxides, and the yield of combined separation tailings increased from 17.85% to 41.75%. The characterization results obtained through SEM-EDS, VSM, XRD and XRF analysis demonstrated significant differences in saturation magnetization, mineral composition and peak intensity among magnetic separation products, confirming that the feasibility of magnetic separation. The research findings contribute to a better understanding of the separation mechanism and provide a new separation process for efficiently enriching residue carbon from CGFS, also facilitate the step utilization of separation products

SERPINA3K plays antioxidant roles in cultured pterygial epithelial cells through regulating ROS system.

We recently demonstrated that SERPINA3K, a serine proteinase inhibitor, has antioxidant activity in the cornea. Here we investigated the antioxidant effects of SERPINA3K on the pterygial, which is partially caused by oxidative stress in pathogenesis. The head part of primary pterygial tissue was dissected and then cultured in keratinocyte serum-free defined medium (KSFM). The cultured pterygial epithelial cells (PECs) were treated with SERPINA3K. The cell proliferation and migration of PECs were measured and analyzed. Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay were performed. It showed that SERPINA3K significantly suppressed the cell proliferation of PECs in a concentration-dependent manner, compared with cultured human conjunctival epithelial cells. SERPINA3K also inhibited the cell migration of PECs. Towards its underlying mechanism, SERPINA3K had antioxidant activities on the PECs by significantly inhibiting NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4), which is an important enzyme of ROS generation, and by elevating the levels of key antioxidant factors of ROS: such as NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (quinone 1) (NQO1), NF-E2-related factor-2 (NRF2) and superoxide dismutases (SOD2). Meanwhile, SERPINA3K down-regulated the key effectors of Wnt signaling pathway: β-catenin, nonphospho-β-catenin, and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6). We provided novel evidence that SERPINA3K had inhibitory effects on pterygium and SERPINA3K played antioxidant role via regulating the ROS system and antioxidants

SERPINA3K (SA3K) inhibited the key ROS generation enzyme: NOX4.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Representative images of Western blot with anti-NOX4 antibody in the PECs after treatment of SA3K at concentration of 0, 80, 160, and 320 nM for 24 hours. (<b>B</b>) Statistic analysis of the Western blot data. Data were presented as mean±SEM; n = 5; **: p<0.01. (<b>C</b>) Quantitative real-time PCR assay data of NOX4 in the PECs after treatment of 320 nM SA3K for 24 hours. Data were presented as mean±SEM; n = 5; **: p<0.01.</p

SERPINA3K (SA3K) downregulated Wnt signaling pathway.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Representative images of Western blot with anti-β-catenin and anti-LRP6 antibodies in the PECs after treatment of SA3K at concentration of 0, 80, 160, and 320 nM for 24 hours. (<b>B</b>) Statistic analysis of the western blot data of β-catenin. Data were presented as mean±SEM; n = 4; **: p<0.01. (<b>C</b>) Statistic analysis of the Western blot data of LRP6. Data were presented as mean±SEM; n = 5; *: p<0.05. (<b>D</b>) Representative images of Western blot with anti-nonphospho-β-catenin antibody in the PECs after treatment of SA3K at concentration of 0, 80, 160 and 320 nM for 24 hours. (<b>E</b>) Statistic analysis of the Western blot data of nonphospho-β-catenin. Data were presented as mean±SEM; n = 3; *: p<0.05, **: p<0.01.</p

SERPINA3K (SA3K) suppressed the cell proliferation and cell migration of pterygial epithelial cells (PECs).

<p>Comparison of the effects of SERPINA3K on the cell proliferation of conjunctival epithelial cells (<b>A</b>) and PECs (<b>B</b>). Conjunctival epithelial cells and PECs were cultured in keratinocyte serum-free defined medium (KSF-M) and treated with SA3K at concentrations of 0, 40, 80, 160, and 320 nM for 24 hours. Data were presented as mean±SEM; n = 9–10; *: p<0.05, **: p<0.01, ***: p<0.001. (<b>C</b>) Representative images of cell migration of PECs after treatment of SA3K (0, 160 and 320 nM) for 12 hours. The central dotted area demonstrated the unmigrated or uninvading area of PECs. Scale bar,100 µm (<b>D</b>) Statistic analysis of the length of the unmigrated or uninvading area between control, 160 nM and 320 nM SA3K groups. Data were presented as mean ±SEM; n = 4; **: p<0.01, ***: p<0.001.</p

SERPINA3K (SA3K) increased the levels of antioxidants: NQO1, NRF2 and SOD2.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Representative images of Western blot with anti-NQO1 antibody in the PECs after treatment of SA3K at concentration of 0, 80, 160, and 320 nM for 24 hours. (<b>B</b>) Statistic analysis of Western blot data of NQO1. Data were presented as mean±SEM; n = 3; *: p<0.05, **: p<0.01. (<b>C</b>) Representative images of Western blot with anti-NRF2 antibody in the PECs after treatment of SA3K at concentration of 0, 80, 160 and 320 nM for 24 hours. (<b>D</b>) Statistic analysis of the western blot data of NRF2. Data were presented as mean±SEM; n = 3; *: p<0.05. (<b>E</b>) Quantitative real-time PCR assay data of NRF2 in the PECs after treatment of 320 nM SA3K for 24 hours. Data were presented as mean±SEM; n = 6; *: p<0.05. (<b>F</b>) Quantitative real-time PCR assay data of SOD2 in the PECs after treatment of 320 nM SA3K for 24 hours. Data were presented as mean±SEM; n = 3; *: p<0.05.</p