Background Hypertension is influenced by both genes and environment. At present, most studies on the relationship among occupational stress, polymorphisms of ATP binding cassette subfamily A member 1 (ABCA1) or angiotensinogen (AGT) genes, and hypertension focus on single gene or single environmental effects. Objective To investigate the relationship of potential interactions between ABCA1 and AGT gene polymorphisms and occupational stress with the prevalence of hypertension. Methods A total of 198 hypertensive patients were selected as the case group from the 1200 oilfield workers in Karamay Oilfield in 2018 with random cluster sampling method, and the control group was selected as 1∶1 matched subjects for sex, age (±3 years), and ethnicity, after excluding blood samples, questionnaires, or DNA purity (concentration) that did not meet the inclusion criteria. Finally, 153 workers in the hypertension case group and 153 workers in the control group were determined. A questionnaire was used to collect general information of the oilfield workers, and the Occupational Stress Inventory Revised Edition (OSI-R) was used to evaluate occupational stress. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technology was used to detect the genotypes of V825I and R219K loci of ABCA1 as well as M235T and T174M loci of AGT. The gene-gene interaction of ABCA1 and AGT and the relationship between the interaction of gene-occupational stress and the prevalence of hypertension were analyzed by generalized multi-factor dimensionality reduction method. Results The difference of reported occupational stress between the hypertension case group and the control group was statistically significant (P＝0.001), and the reporting rate of high occupational stress in the case group (65.4%) was higher than that in the control group (47.7%). The genotype and allele distributions of ABCA1 V825I, ABCA1 R219K, and AGT M235T between the hypertension case group and the control group were significantly different (P<0.05). The results of conditional logistic regression analysis showed that VI and II genotypes at V825I locus of ABCA1 (OR_VI=1.682, 95%CI: 1.099-2.573; OR_II=1.708, 95%CI: 1.045-2.790), TT genotype at M235T locus of AGT (OR=1.645, 95%CI: 1.022-2.647), and high occupational stress (OR=2.642, 95%CI: 1.228-5.686) increased the risks for hypertension (P<0.05). There was no significant correlation between ABCA1 R219K or AGT T174M polymorphisms and the prevalence of hypertension (P>0.05). The gene-gene interactions between ABCA1 V825I and R219K loci and AGT M235T locus were associated with hypertension (accuracy on training and test sets was 0.68 and 0.63, respectively, with a cross-validation coefficient of 10/10, P<0.05), and ABCA1 V825I locus positively interacted with AGT M235T locus. The gene-environment interactions among ABCA1 V825I and R219K loci, AGT M235T locus, and occupational stress were associated with hypertension (accuracy on training and test sets was 0.74 and 0.63, respectively, with a cross-validation coefficient of 10/10, P<0.05), and AGT M235T locus negatively interacted with occupational stress. Conclusion Genotype VI and II of V825I locus at ABCA1, genotype TT of M235T locus at AGT, and high occupational stress may be risk factors for oilfield workers’ hypertension in Karamay, and the interactions of gene-gene and gene-environment among ABCA1 and AGT gene polymorphisms and occupational stress may be associated with hypertension.

Objective　Exploring the incidence of cognitive dysfunction after acute cerebral infarction and analyse the characteristics of cognitive domain damage in different infarct sites. Methods　 Selected from January 2016 to January 2019 213 patients with acute cerebral infarction treated by the Department of Encephalopathy，Chinese Medical Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University，according to theneuropsychological scale scores divided into three groups as follow：normal cognitive group （NCI，n=46），post-stroke cognitive impairment not dementia group（PSCIND，n=91），and poststroke dementia group（PSD，n=76）. Clinical data and imaging data，The neuropsychological scale was evaluated. Results　 The incidence of cognitive dysfunction in patients with acute cerebral infarction reached 78.4%；MMSE score showed that the delayed recall ability of non-dominant cerebral infarction was significantly impaired［non-dominance/dominance （1.80±1.05）/（1.55±1.11）；P=0.025］；Frontallobes infarction impaired language recapitulation ［Yes/No （0.32±0.30）/（0.63±0.41）；P=0.008］；Immediate memory ［Yes/No（1.91±1.09）/（2.99±1.12）；P=0.04］ and verbal repetition ［Yes/No（0.22±0.3）/（0.59±0.5）；P=0.012］ of parietal infarction was significantly damaged. The MOCA score showed that the total MOCA score of non-dominant cerebral infarction was higher than the advantage side brain ［Non-advantage/Advantage （17.54±6.65）/（16.65±6.40）；P=0.041］. Language function of the cerebral infarction on the dominant side is significantly impaired ［Non-advantage/Advantage：（1.66±1.10）/（1.22±0.98） Score；P=0.004］. Delayed recall ability was significantly impaired in non-dominant cerebral infarction ［non-dominance/advantage：（1.55±1.45）/（0.97±1.37）；P=0.010］. Language function［Yes/No：（1.41±0.91）/（2.32±1.02） points；P=0.014］，named ［Yes/No：（1.90±1.03）/（2.94±1.26）；P=0.019］and orientation［Yes/No：（2.15±1.10）/（4.28±1.36） points；P=0.000］were significant damaged in frontal infarction；delayed recall ［Yes/No：（1.32±1.10）/（0.91±0.94） points；P=0.000］，attention ［Yes/No：（2.2±0.4）/（2.5±0.6） points；P=0.038］，language ［Yes/No：（1.5±1.2）/（2.3±1.1）；P=0.009］were significant damaged in parietal infarction. Language function［Yes/No：（1.52±1.31）/（2.52±1.06） points；P=0.001］，orientation［Yes/No：（2.73±1.37）/（3.71±1.68） points；P=0.006］were significant damaged in basal ganglia infarction. The results of multivariate regression analysis showed：frontal lobe（P=0.008），temporal lobe（P=0.020），cerebellum（P=0.008） infarction increased risk of cognitive dysfunction. Conclusion　The damage of different cognitive domains in patients with acute stage of cerebral infarction is related to the infarct site；The characteristics of cognitive domain damage were correlated with the infarct site；Infarction of the frontal，temporal and cerebellum increases the incidence of cognitive dysfunction.

Objective Thermal injury causes pulmonary edema, which may lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, multiorgan failure and even death. The article aimed to study the mechanism of curcumin pretreatment on inflammatory factors in lung tissues and serum endotoxin of rats with dry-heat environment.Methods A total of 50 SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=10): normal control group, dry heat control group, low concentraion group (50mg/kg curcumin pretreatment group), middle concentraion group (100mg/kg curcumin pretreatment group), and high concentration group (200mg/kg curcumin pretreatment group). Rats in normal control group and dry heat control group were given normal saline by gavage, while rats in 3 curcumin pretreatment groups were given curcumin of different concentrations (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg) by gavage once a day for 7 consecutive days. At 8d, all the other 4 groups except normal control group were transferred to the climate cabin (The Simulated Climate Cabin for Special Environment of Northwest of China) with the condition of (41±0.5)℃, (10±1)% relative humidity.The rats were put in the dry-heat environment for 150min, then they were anaesthetized and sacrificed at 150min to collect the blood, lung tissues for further analysis. Observation was made on the pathological changes of lung tissues of rats in each group and the changes of inflammatory factors such as IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and LPS.Results Compared with dry heat control group, the concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and LPS in normal control group, curcumin pretreatment groups with low concentration, middle concentration and high concentration were significantly higher(P<0.01). The concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and LPS in curcumin pretreatment group with low concentration were significantly lower than those curcumin pretreatment groups with middle concentration and high concentration(P<0.05). Compared with curcumin pretreatment group with middle concentration, LPS concentration of curcumin pretreatment group with high concentration decreased significantly (P<0.01). Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between the plasma of LPS and inflammatory cytokines of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in lung tissues (correlation coefficient r=0.866, r=0.900, r=0.885, P=0.000).Conclusion Curcumin inhibits bacterial endotoxin in blood, reduces the expression of inflammatory factors, and plays an important role in alleviating secondary multiple organ damage, which means curcumin pretreatment can relieve lung damage caused by heatstroke and reduce the mortality of heatstroke.

Aim To investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of Aesculetin from Viola tianshanica Maxim in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and the underlying mechanism.Methods RAW 264.7 cells were divided into control group, model group( LPS), 0.16, 0.8, 4, 20 μmol·L-1 AESN groups( different concentrations of AESN + LPS)and positive control group(10 μmol·L-1 Indomethacin+LPS).LPS(1 mg·L-1)was used to stimulate RAW 264.7 cells for 24 h to establish inflammatory model.MTS assay was used to detemine cytotoxicity of Aesculetin in RAW 264.7 cells.Griess method was used to detect NO secretion in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.ELISA was applied to determine the contents of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β in cell culture supernatant.qRT-PCR was employed to detect the mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and iNOS.Immunofluorescence assay was used to evaluated the protein expressions of iNOS, p-NF-κB p65, IκBα, p-p38 and p-ERK1/2.Enzyme assay was used to detect the inhibition activity of Aesculetin on cyclooxygenase 1/2(COX 1/2).Results Aesculetin significantly inhibited the secretion of inflammatory mediator NO, mRNA and protein expression of iNOS in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 at 0.16, 0.8, 4 and 20 μmol·L-1.The contents of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β in supernatant significantly decreased, and the mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β were also reduced by Aesculetin.Aesculetin also obviously inhibited the protein degradation of IκBα and inhibited the nuclear translocation of p-NF-κB p65, p-p38, p-ERK1/2.In addition, Aesculetin had significant inhibitory activities on COX-1 and COX-2, and the IC50 was 28.1 μmol·L-1, 2.3 μmol·L-1, respectively.Conclusions AESN has good anti-inflammatory effect, and its mechanism is closely related to the inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways

OBJECTIVE: To explore the current situation of job burnout, sleep quality and working ability and the association among them in oil workers. METHODS: A total of 2 086 oil workers from six oil field companies in a city of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were selected as the study subjects using a typical sampling method. The job burnout level, sleep quality and working ability were measured respectively by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Work Ability Index Questionnaire. RESULTS: The average score of job burnout in the study subjects was(48.6±11.0), the median and the 25 th, 75 th percentile of sleep quality and working ability scores were 6.0(5.0, 8.0) and 39.0(36.0, 42.0) respectively. There was a negative correlation between job burnout and working ability, or sleep quality and working ability [spearman correlation coefficient(r_S) were-0.28 and-0.21, all P<0.01]. There was a positive correlation between job burnout and sleep quality(r_S=0.19, P<0.01). The structural equation model results showed that both job burnout and sleep quality had a direct effect on working ability of oil workers [normalized path coefficient(β) were-0.29 and-0.27, respectively, all P<0.01]. Job burnout could indirectly affect working ability through reducing sleep quality(β=-0.12, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The higher the degree of job burnout and the poorer the sleep quality, the lower their working ability in oil workers. Oil workers with a higher degree of job burnout can lead to poorer sleep quality, which in turn leads to a decline in their working ability.

Background Sleep disorders in occupational groups will seriously affect their physical and mental health and work efficiency. Oil workers are a special occupational group, and their working environment factors may lead to occupational stress and job burnout, and the occurrence of sleep disorders. Objective To investigate the current situation of sleep disorders in oil workers and analyze the the effects of occupational stress, job burnout, and their interactions on sleep disorders. Methods From May to November 2019, 2300 oil workers were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling, and their occupational stress, job burnout, and sleep disorders were evaluated using the Effort-Return Imbalance (ERI), the Maslach Burnout Inventory－General Survey, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The influencing factors of sleep disorders were analyzed using binary logistic regression, and the effect of the interaction between occupational stress and job burnout on sleep disorders were evaluated after adjusting for selected confounding factors. Results Of the 2300 questionnaires distributed, after excluding invalid questionnaires, a total of 2060 questionnaires were valid and the valid recovery rate was 89.57%. There were 1069 males (51.89%) and 991 females (48.11%), and the average age was (40.89±8.22) years old. The prevalence rate of sleep disorders among the oil workers was 34.76%, and the differences among different gender, age, working age, type of work, shift system, education and marital status groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05); 986 (47.86%) workers experienced occupational stress, and the prevalence rates were higher in males (57.06%), age group ≥45 years (52.63%), technical secondary school and below education group (51.87%) ,working age group > 15 years (50.47%), oil transportation workers (50.95%), shift workers (56.34%), and workers with a monthly income > 4000 yuan (51.70%); 1749 workers (84.90%) experienced job burnout, of which the prevalence rate of moderate burnout was higher (50.68%). Except the subjective sleep quality of oil workers between different occupational stress groups (Z=−1.02, P=0.308), the total score of PSQI and the scores of remaining dimensions were varied among different occupational stress and job burnout groups (P < 0.05). The results of multiple regression analysis found that being females, age ≥ 30 years, working age ≥ 15 years, oil transportation workers, shift work, severe burnout, and occupational stress were associated with an increased risk of reporting sleep disorders (P<0.05); the interaction between occupational stress and severe burnout led to a 11.403-fold increase in the risk of reporting sleep disorders (OR=11.403, 95% CI: 5.107-25.462). Conclusion Oil workers are experiencing poor sleep quality, and occupational stress, job burnout and their interaction would increase the risk of sleep disorders.

Background The occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders in coal mine workers remains high, and psychological factors are one of the important factors. Objective To explore the occupational stress level, mental health status, and prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) of coal miners in Xinjiang, and to analyze the effects of occupational stress and mental health on WMSDs. Methods From August 2018 to August 2019, 1300 workers of 4 coal mines were selected by cluster sampling method. Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire, Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Scale, Self Reporting Inventory (SCL-90) were used to investigate the prevalence of WMSDs, occupational stress, and mental health. Results A total of 1177 valid questionnaires were collected, with a valid rate of 90.5%. The prevalence rate of WMSDs was 66.4%, the positive rate of occupational stress was 50.2%, and the positive rate of psychological symptoms was 53.4%. The M (P₂₅, P₇₅) ERI score was 1.0 (0.9,1.2), and the M (P₂₅, P₇₅) SCL-90 score was 138.0 (117.0,184.0). The prevalence rate of WMSDs in ≥3 sites was 45.0% in the occupational stress group and 46.0% in the positive psychological symptoms group. The results of binary logistic regression analysis showed that reporting occupational stress (OR=1.835, 95%CI: 1.380-2.440) and positive psychological symptoms (OR=1.461, 95%CI: 1.083-1.969) were positively associated with the prevalence of WMSDs; those being female (OR=2.393, 95%CI: 1.544-3.709), aged≥30 years (OR_30-＜40=2.344, 95%CI: 1.507-3.645; OR_40-＜50=2.395, 95%CI: 1.541-3.723; OR_50-60=5.115, 95%CI: 2.872-9.111), with length of service>15 years (OR=2.283, 95%CI: 1.537-3.392), and being coal diggers (OR=1.591, 95%CI: 1.070-2.365) showed higher risks of reporting WMSDs; those with education level at high school and above (OR_{high school}=0.399, 95%CI: 0.279-0.571; OR_{college and above}=0.220, 95%CI: 0.157-0.310), and monthly income>8000 yuan (OR=0.364, 95%CI: 0.227-0.582) showed lower risks of reporting WMSDs. The results of structural equation model showed that in model 1 with mental health as the intermediate variable, occupational stress and mental health directly affected WMSDs, and the standardized path coefficients (β) were 0.10 and 0.25 respectively; ERI also directly affected mental health with a β of 0.20. In model 2 with WMSDs as the intermediate variable, ERI and WMSDs directly affected mental health, and the β values were 0.16 and 0.25 respectively; ERI also directly affected WMSDs with a β of 0.16. Conclusion The prevalence rate of WMSDs in selected coal mine workers is high, and occupational stress and mental health affect the occurrence of WMSDs.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the current status of job burnout and working capability in miners of a copper-nickel mine of Xinjiang Municipality and explore the relationship between miners′ job burnout and working capability.METHODS: A total of 1 254 miners in a copper-nickel mine were selected as study subjects by stratified cluster sampling method. The Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Work Ability Index Questionnaire were used to investigate their job burnout and working capability.RESULTS: The total score of male miners′ job burnout was higher than that of female miners(P<0.05). The total score of high school educated miners′ job burnout was higher than that of junior middle school and below, junior college, undergraduate and above education groups(P<0.05). The total score of smelting miners′ job burnout was higher than that of mining and ore dressing miners(P<0.05). College degree group, unmarried group, intermediate professional title or above group, monthly income of 4 000-yuan group and mineral processing unit group had higher working capability(P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that education level, type of jobs and job burnout level independently affect the miners′ working capability(P<0.01). The miners′ working capability decreased with decreasing education level and the increasing job burnout level(P<0.01). The working capability of ore dressing miners was higher than that of mining and smelting miners(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The working capability of copper-nickel miners is negatively correlated with their job burnout. Reducing job burnout can improve the working capability of miners.

OBJECTIVE: To study the current status of musculoskeletal disorders( MSDS) among medical staffs,and to analyze the relationship of MSDS,sleep quality and occupational stress. METHODS: Four hundred and fourteen medical staffs from a tertiary hospital were selected as research subjects by using judgment sampling method. The questionnaires of Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire,Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Core Questionnaire of Occupational Stress were answered and analyzed. RESULTS: The annual prevalence and week prevalence of MSDS were 67. 9%( 281/414) and 58. 5%( 242/414) in the study group. The neck,waist and shoulder were areas of high incidence of MSDS in the medical staffs,and the annual prevalence was 67. 9%,67. 6% and 54. 6%,while the week prevalence was 56. 5%,58. 5% and 47. 8% respectively. There were 58. 9%( 244/414) medical staffs who had sleep problems. The MSDS annual prevalence,week prevalence of neck and shoulder for poor sleep quality in medical staffs were higher than that of good sleep quality group( P < 0. 05). There were 30. 2%( 125/414) medical staffs who had occupation stress. The annual prevalence,week prevalence of neck and shoulder MSDS in the occupation stress group of medical staffs were higher than the non-occupation stress group( P < 0. 05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that length of service,sleep duration,sleep quality and work requirements were the risk factors of MSDS( P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION: The incidence of MSDS is higher in medical staffs with poor sleep quality and high occupational stress.

The CRISPR system is able to accomplish precise base editing in genomic DNA, but relies on the cellular homology-directed recombination repair pathway and is therefore extremely inefficient. Base editing is a new genome editing technique developed based on the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Two base editors (cytosine base editor and adenine base editor) were developed by fusing catalytically disabled nucleases with different necleobase deaminases. These two base editors are able to perform C>T (G>A) or A>G (T>C) transition without generating DNA double-stranded breaks. The base editing technique has been widely used in gene therapy, animal models construction, precision animal breeding and gene function analysis, providing a powerful tool for basic and applied research. This review summarized the development process, technical advantages, current applications, challenges and perspectives for base editing technique, aiming to help the readers better understand and use the base editing technique.
Adenine ; Animals ; CRISPR-Cas Systems/genetics* ; Cytosine ; DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded ; Gene Editing