OBJECTIVES: To study the significance of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ [25-(OH)D₃] level in the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of children with immunoglobulin A vasculitis nephritis (IgAVN). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of children with IgAVN who underwent renal biopsy at Suzhou Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University and Jinling Hospital of the Medical School of Nanjing University from June 2015 to June 2020. Based on serum 25-(OH)D₃ level, the patients were divided into a normal group and a lower group. The clinicopathological characteristics and follow-up data of the two groups were collected and compared. RESULTS: A total of 359 children with IgAVN were included. Compared to the normal group (62 cases), the lower group (297 cases) exhibited higher incidences of hematochezia and gross hematuria, higher levels of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, urinary retinol protein, urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase, and quantitative urinary protein, and a longer duration from renal biopsy to urinary protein becoming negative, as well as lower estimated glomerular filtration rate and albumin level (P<0.05). Renal pathology in the lower group showed a higher occurrence of tubular interstitial injury, crescent formation, segmental sclerosis in glomeruli, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the renal interstitium compared to the normal group (P<0.05). Survival analysis indicated that the cumulative renal survival rate was lower in the lower group (P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that low serum 25-(OH)D₃ level is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in children with IgAVN. CONCLUSIONS Children with IgAVN and low serum 25-(OH)D₃ level have relatively severe clinicopathological manifestations. Low serum 25-(OH)D₃ level is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in children with IgAVN.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Calcifediol/blood* ; Child, Preschool ; Adolescent ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA/mortality* ; Vasculitis/pathology* ; IgA Vasculitis/mortality*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of Tripterygium wilfordii multiglycoside (TGW) in the treatment of psoriatic dermatitis from a cellular immunological perspective. METHODS: Mouse models of psoriatic dermatitis were established by imiquimod (IMQ). Twelve male BALB/c mice were assigned to IMQ or IMQ₊TGW groups according to a random number table. Histopathological changes in vivo were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Ratios of immune cells and cytokines in mice, as well as PAM212 cell proliferation in vitro were assessed by flow cytometry. Pro-inflammatory cytokine expression was determined using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: TGW significantly ameliorated the severity of IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mouse skin lesions and restrained the activation of CD45⁺ cells, neutrophils and T lymphocytes (all P<0.01). Moreover, TGW significantly attenuated keratinocytes (KCs) proliferation and downregulated the mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-23, tumor necrosis factor α, and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Furthermore, it reduced the number of γ δ T17 cells in skin lesion of mice and draining lymph nodes (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS TGW improved psoriasis-like inflammation by inhibiting KCs proliferation, as well as the associated immune cells and cytokine expression. It inhibited IL-17 secretion from γ δ T cells, which improved the immune-inflammatory microenvironment of psoriasis.
Male ; Animals ; Mice ; Tripterygium ; Psoriasis/drug therapy* ; Keratinocytes ; Skin Diseases/metabolism* ; Cytokines/metabolism* ; Imiquimod/metabolism* ; Dermatitis/pathology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Skin/metabolism*

Astrocytes are the largest glial population in the mammalian brain. However, we have a minimal understanding of astrocyte development, especially fate specification in different regions of the brain. Through lineage tracing of the progenitors of the third ventricle (3V) wall via in-utero electroporation in the embryonic mouse brain, we show the fate specification and migration pattern of astrocytes derived from radial glia along the 3V wall. Unexpectedly, radial glia located in different regions along the 3V wall of the diencephalon produce distinct cell types: radial glia in the upper region produce astrocytes and those in the lower region produce neurons in the diencephalon. With genetic fate mapping analysis, we reveal that the first population of astrocytes appears along the zona incerta in the diencephalon. Astrogenesis occurs at an early time point in the dorsal region relative to that in the ventral region of the developing diencephalon. With transcriptomic analysis of the region-specific 3V wall and lateral ventricle (LV) wall, we identified cohorts of differentially-expressed genes in the dorsal 3V wall compared to the ventral 3V wall and LV wall that may regulate astrogenesis in the dorsal diencephalon. Together, these results demonstrate that the generation of astrocytes shows a spatiotemporal pattern in the developing mouse diencephalon.
Mice ; Animals ; Astrocytes ; Neuroglia/physiology* ; Diencephalon ; Brain ; Neurons ; Mammals

Objective To study the application of CE-Chirp in the evaluation of hearing impairment in forensic medicine by testing the auditory brainstem response(ABR)in adults using CE-Chirp to ana-lyze the relationship between the V-wave response threshold of CE-Chirp ABR test and the pure tone hearing threshold.Methods Subjects(aged 20-77 with a total of 100 ears)who underwent CE-Chirp ABR test in Changzhou De'an Hospital from January 2018 to June 2019 were selected to obtain the V-wave response threshold,and pure tone air conduction hearing threshold tests were conducted at 0.5,1.0,2.0 and 4.0 kHz,respectively,to obtain pure tone listening threshold.The differences and statistical differences between the average pure tone hearing threshold and V-wave response threshold were compared in different hearing levels and different age groups.The correlation,differences and statistical differences between the two tests at each frequency were analyzed for all subjects.The lin-ear regression equation for estimating pure tone hearing threshold for all subjects CE-Chirp ABR V-wave response threshold was established,and the feasibility of the equation was tested.Results There was no statistical significance in the CE-Chirp ABR response threshold and pure tone hearing threshold dif-ference between different hearing level groups and different age groups(P>0.05).There was a good correlation between adult CE-Chirp ABR V-wave response threshold and pure tone hearing threshold with statistical significance(P<0.05),and linear regression analysis showed a significant linear correla-tion between the two(P<0.05).Conclusion The use of CE-Chirp ABR V-wave response threshold can be used to evaluate subjects'pure tone hearing threshold under certain conditions,and can be used as an audiological test method for forensic hearing impairment assessment.

Objective:To analyze and compare the differences of expression profiles between RPL and normal adipose tissue by transcriptome sequencing(RNA-Seq),then identify the key genes related to prognosis and explore their potential mechanisms.Methods:Tumor tissues and normal adipose tissues of patients with RPL were collected for RNA-Seq,and then the differentially ex-pressed genes were analyzed by GO and KEGG enrichment analysis.Based on TCGA,the high-risk genes related to prognosis were screened and verified by Kaplan-Meier curve and receiver operat-ing characteristic(ROC)curve.Results:Compared with normal adipose tissue,279 differentially expressed genes were simultaneously up-regulated in RPL tissues,which were mainly enriched in immune response and PPAR signaling pathway.Combined with TCGA,7 stable prognostic high risk genes were identified and the overall survival rate of the high risk group was significantly lower than that of the low risk group(P＜0.05).Conclusion:KCNQ5,RBPJ and some other genes may be re-lated to the poor prognosis of RPL patients.The analysis of the mechanism of these genes in RPL is expected to provide new evidence for the formulation of diagnosis and treatment strategies for RPL patients.

Objective To analyze the risk factors for delayed tricuspid regurgitation after aortic valve replacement.Methods A total of 104 cases of aortic valve replacements due to aortic valve lesion in this hos-pital from January 2016 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.The perioperative data were collected and the follow up was performed.The appearance of moderate or more regurgitation in the tricuspid valve was defined as having regurgitation,and mild and below mild regurgitation was defined as no regurgitation.The in-dependent influencing factors for delayed tricuspid regurgitation were analyzed by using univariate and multi-variate logistic regression.Results The average follow-up period was (6.0±0.7)years.There were 39 cases lost the follow-up,5 cases died (1 case died of brain hemorrhage and 4 cases died of heart failure).The inci-dence rate of delayed tricuspid regurgitation after aortic valve operation was 15.4％.The univariate analysis showed that atrial fibrillation (70.0％ vs. 9.1％,P<0.001) and pulmonary artery pressure (x2=9.785,P=0.016) were related with tricuspid regurgitation.The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that at-rial fibrillation (OR=15.008,P=0.003) was the independent risk factor for the delayed tricuspid regurgita-tion after aortic valve surgery.Conclusion The patients with simple aortic valve surgery should pay attention to the atrial fibrillation situation to prevent the occurrence of delayed postoperative tricuspid regurgitation.

To address the key challenges in multivariate statistical modeling,a higher-order derivative approach combined with vector space angle multiplicative error correction was proposed for establishing an acid value prediction ordinary least squares(OLS)regression model based on attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared(ATR-FTIR)spectroscopy.By using acid values measured by potentiometric titration as reference,ATR-FTIR spectroscopy was utilized for direct calibration and prediction of acid values on 96 kinds of lubricating oil samples from a wind turbine.Firstly,the simulated hyperbolic(SH)method was employed to obtain accurate fourth derivative spectrum,resolving overlapping bands and enhancing spectral selectivity.Then,from the calibration set(48 samples),informative spectral regions were identified based on correlation coefficients.Next,the sample with the highest acid value was selected as the reference and1/(1+tan(θ/2))was used as the metric relation of the spectrum to suppress the multiplicity error caused by factors such as the change of effective optical path in ATR-FTIR spectroscopy.After pretreatment of the spectrum by the method of fourth-order derivative combined with angular quantity,the number of variables decreased from 1737 to 8,and the matrix condition number decreased from 1.85×1015 to 56.34,which effectively eliminated the collinearity issue for OLS regression.Direct OLS modeling on spectral preprocessed data achieved a determination coefficient of 0.981 for 47 validation samples,with a relative error range of-8.38%-8.22%,outperforming the commonly used partial least squares(PLS)method(Determination coefficient of 0.865,relative error of-27.82%-22.38%).It was proved that effective data preprocessing significantly improved the prediction accuracy of the model.Furthermore,when the number of calibration set was compressed to 25 and the number of validation set was expanded to 70,the model retained 8 variables with a condition number of 42.60,the determination coefficient of validation set was 0.972,and the relative error ranged from-10.80%to 12.31%.Comparing with the PLS method(Determination coefficient of 0.724,relative error of-34.26%-53.84%),the improvement was more obvious,which showed that the method could still have high prediction accuracy even with fewer modeling samples as well as robustness against multiplicative error interference.

In the past few decades,supercritical fluid chromatography(SFC)as a supplement to liquid chromatography(LC)separation technology has attracted people's interest,especially in the combination of SFC and mass spectrometry(MS),which has shown important application prospects in metabolomics,lipidomics,and other fields.Compared to the interface of LC-MS,the interface of SFC-MS presents some unique challenges that require special solutions to be designed.This article categorizes and summarizes the existing interfaces used for SFC-MS,focuses on the impact of different interface designs on detection performance,provides the applicable characteristics of different types of interfaces,and finally briefly introduces the application progress of SFC-MS in different fields.

Objective To compare screw versus Kirschner wire fixation in the treatment of lateral humeral condyle frac-tures in children.Methods A systematic search was conducted in PubMed,Embase,the Cochrane library,Web of Science,China National Knowledge Internet(CNKI),Wanfang Datebase from in ception to February 2022.Studies comparing screws and Kirschner wire fixation in the treatment of lateral humeral condyle fractures in children were included.Outcome measures included and excluded by a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria and evaluated for their quality,their excellent and good rate of fracture healing,malunion,delayed union or nonunion,infection,limitation of elbow flexion or extension(＞10°)were ex-tracted and analyzed using software Rev Man 5.3.Results A total of 9 retrospective studies involving 647 patients were includ-ed,with 255 patients in the screw fixation group(including screw combined with Kirschner wire)and 392 patients in the Kirschner wire fixation group.Meta analysis showed the following:infection rate in the screw group was significantly lower than that in the Kirschner wire group[OR=0.22,95％CI(0.09,0.56),P=0.001].There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in excellent and good rate of fracture healing,malunion rate(P＞0.05).Subgroup analysis showed that infection rate in the screw-only group was significantly lower than that in the Kirschner wire group[OR=0.18,95％CI(0.05,0.65),P=0.009].Conclusion For lateral humeral condyle fractures,Screw fixation alone had a lower infection rate than kirschner wire fixation and screw combined with Kirschner wire fixation.There were no significant differences in the excellent and good rate of fracture healing,malunion.In terms of postoperative efficacy and safety of internal fixation,orthopaedic surgeons are more like-ly to recommend screws for fixation of lateral humeral condyle fractures in children.