Objective To assess if there are differences in clinical features and prognosis of intersti-tial lung disease(ILD) between polymyositis(PM) and dermatomyositis(DM). Methods Medical records of 114 patients with PM/DM(31 PM-ILD, 83 DM-ILD) were reviewed retrospectively to analyze the demograph-ics , clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), pulmonary function tests (PFTs), blood gas analysis, treatments and prognosis. The differences of measured data were detected by descriptive statisitical analysis, and rates were detected by four-fold table Chi-Square test and Fisher′s exact test. Results The incidence of PM/DM-ILD was 35.8%(114/318) in this study, and DM was more prone to have ILD (χ2=5.019, P=0.025). There were significant difference in sex ratio between PM-ILD and DM-ILD(χ2=4.929, P=0.026). Arthralgia/arthritis was more common in DM-ILD than PM-ILD(χ2=7.756, P=0.005). In PM-ILD, ILD was often present before the diagnosis of PM (χ2=15.555, P<0.01),while it was opposite in DM-ILD(χ2=7.002, P=0.008). The frequency of anti-Jo-1 antibody was higher in PM-ILD than in DM-ILD(χ2=11.395, P=0.001). On HRCT, ground-glass opacity(χ2=7.940, P=0.005) and pericardial effu-
sion (χ2=6.322, P=0.012) were more frequently observed in PM-ILD, while patchy shadows were more frequent in DM-ILD (χ2=5.105, P=0.024). There was no difference in PFTs and blood gas analysis between the two groups. With the similar therapeutic regimen, the prognosis of DM-ILD was significantly worse than in PM-ILD (χ2=7.595, P =0.006). Conclusion There are significant differences in sex ratio, clinical manifestations, HRCT imaging findings, and prognosis between PM-ILD and DM-ILD. We propose that the difference in the immunopathological processes of PM and DM leads to different clinical features of ILD between PM and DM.

BACKGROUND: Vaccination has been shown effective in controlling the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and reducing severe cases. This study was to assess the flare and change in disease activity after COVID-19 vaccination in patients with stable rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: A prospective cohort of RA patients in remission or with low disease activity was divided into a vaccination group and a non-vaccination group based on their COVID-19 vaccination status. Each of them was examined every 3 to 6 months. In the vaccination group, disease activity was compared before and after vaccination. The rates of flare defined as disease activity scores based on 28-joint count (DAS28) >3.2 with ΔDAS28 ≥0.6 were compared between vaccination and non-vaccination groups. RESULTS: A total of 202 eligible RA patients were enrolled. Of these, 98 patients received no vaccine shot (non-vaccination group), and 104 patients received two doses of vaccine (vaccination group). The median time interval from pre-vaccination visit to the first immunization and from the second dose of vaccine to post-vaccination visit was 67 days and 83 days, respectively. The disease activity scores at pre-vaccination and post-vaccination visits in the vaccination group patients were similar. At enrollment, gender, RA disease course, seropositivity, and disease activity were comparable across the two groups. Flare was observed in five (4.8%) of the vaccination group patients and nine (9.2%) of the non-vaccination group patients at post-vaccination assessment ( P  = 0.221). In terms of safety, 29 (27.9%) patients experienced adverse events (AEs) after vaccination. No serious AEs occurred. CONCLUSIONS COVID-19 vaccinations had no significant effect on disease activity or risk of flare in RA patients in remission or with low disease activity. Patients with stable RA should be encouraged to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
Humans ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Cohort Studies ; COVID-19/prevention & control* ; COVID-19 Vaccines/adverse effects* ; East Asian People ; Prospective Studies ; Vaccination/adverse effects*

Objective To investigate the accuracy and feasibility of shear wave elastography(SWE)combined with superb microvascular imaging(SMI)for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules.Methods A total of 190 patients with thyroid nodu-les detected in the Ultrasound Department of our hospital from January 2021 to December 2022 who underwent ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy or exhibited postoperative histopathological improvement were selected as the study subjects.Among them,a total of 224 thyroid nodules(74 benign and 150 malignant nodules)were detected,all of whom underwent thyroid ultrasonography,SWE,and SMI.The parameters related to the Young's modulus of the tissue as well as the condition of fine blood flow and perforating vessels were calculated.Using histopathological results as the gold standard to construct receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,observe the effectiveness of SWE combined with SMI in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules,and compare the efficacy of different examination methods in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules.Results There were significant differences in the internal composition,echo,margin,cal-cification,and aspect ratio between the benign and malignant thyroid nodules(all P<0.05);however,there was no significant difference in the average diameter of the benign and malignant nodules(P>0.05).There were statistically significant differences in maximum elas-ticity,mean elasticity,elasticity ratio,microvascular score,peak shear wave velocity,and average shear wave velocity between the benign and malignant thyroid nodules(all P<0.05).The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve of the maximum elastic value was the highest,while the optimal diagnostic threshold was 29.52 kPa.The optimal diagnostic threshold for the microvascular flow score was 2.3 points.In terms of diagnostic efficacy,SWE combined with SMI showed the highest sensitivity(94.67%)and specificity(94.59%).Conclusion SWE combined with SMI can further improve the diagnostic efficiency of benign and malignant thyroid nodules and achieve quantitative evaluation and dynamic observation of lesions,which has application and promotion value.

Objective:To investigate the expression of epigenetic inhibitor polycomb group proteins such as enhancer of zeste homolog 1/2 (EZH1/EZH2), embryonic ectoderm development protein (EED) and suppressor of zeste 12 (SUZ12) in common cutaneous T-cell lymphomas and lymphoproliferative disorders (CTCL/LPD) .Methods:Totally, 93 paraffin-embedded skin samples of CTCL/LPD and 8 of lichen planus were collected from Hospital for Skin Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College between 2012 and 2019, and subjected to immunohistochemical staining to determine the protein expression of EZH2, EED, SUZ12 and EZH1. Statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS 25.0 software by using chi-square test and Spearman correlation analysis.Results:The 93 cases of CTCL/LPD included 44 cases of mycosis fungoides (MF), 17 natural killer/T cell lymphoma (NK/TCL), 8 primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (PC-ALCL), 8 lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP), 8 hydroa vacciniforme-like lymphoproliferative disorder (HV-like LPD) and 8 cases of subcutaneous panniculitis-like T cell lymphoma (SPTCL). Among the 93 CTCL/LPD cases, 83 (89.2%) were positive for EZH2, 81 (87.1%) for EED, 78 (83.9%) for SUZ12 and 37 (39.8%) for EZH1; among the 8 cases of lichen planus, 1 was positive for EZH2, all were positive for EZH1, and all were negative for EED and SUZ12. The expression of EZH2, EED, SUZ12 and EZH1 in lichen planus samples significantly differed from all the CTCL/LPD samples ( χ2 = 41.75, 39.74, 39.36, 32.83, respectively, all P < 0.001), and from MF, NK/TCL, PC-ALCL, LyP, HV-like LPD and SPTCL samples separately (α = 0.008 3, all P < 0.001). Meanwhile, the score of EZH2 expression was negatively correlated with that of EZH1 expression in the MF, NK/TCL, PC-ALCL, LyP, HV-like LPD and SPTCL tissues ( rs = -0.60, -0.68, -0.89, -0.74, -0.93, -0.80, respectively, all P < 0.05) . Conclusion:Polycomb group proteins EZH2, EED, SUZ12 and EZH1 are abnormally expressed in CTCL/LPD lesions.

Objective:To evaluate the association of maternal nutrition status in the first trimester with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and macrosomia.Methods:378 pregnant women who took prenatal care in Shunyi Women′s and Children′s Hospital of Beijing Children′s Hospital were enrolled in the study. Blood samples were collected at first prenatal visit (<12 gestation weeks) to measure the level of hemoglobin and iron status indexes including serum iron, ferritin, transferrin, total iron binding capacity, iron saturation, transferrin saturation. The incidence of GDM and macrosomia were collected and Logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations of maternal nutrients status in the first trimester with GDM and macrosomia.Results:The incidence rate of GDM was16.9%,the incidence of anemia and iron deficiency in the first trimester were2.4% and 2.5%, respectively. After adjustment for variables such as maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, family history of diabetes, and parity, Logistic regression showed that in the first trimester, iron saturation>50% ( OR=0.238, 95% CI 0.068-0.831), transferrin saturation>50% ( OR=0.08, 95% CI 0.010-0.677) were protective factors of GDM; iron saturation 25%-50% ( OR=0.361, 95% CI 0.143-0.908); transferrin saturation 25%-50% ( OR=0.383, 95% CI 0.165-0.891); ferritin>30 ng/ml ( OR=0.418, 95% CI0.186-0.939) were protective factors of macrosomia. Conclusion:Maternal iron status in the first trimester might be associated with GDM and macrosomia. Thus, maternal iron status assessment in the first trimester is necessary.

Objective:To establish a rapid method for the detection of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) by recombinase-aid amplification (RAA).Methods:The whole genome sequences of VZV were downloaded from the global shared database for comparison and analysis. Specific primers and probe were designed for the four conserved genes respectively and the optimal combination was selected. The optimal reaction system was selected through the concentration gradient of primers and probes, and a fluorescence RAA detection method was established. The sensitivity of the method was evaluated with VZV positive plasmid standard and clinical samples with gradient dilution, the repeatability of the method was evaluated with the lowest detectable limit concentration of positive plasmid standard, and the specificity of other viral nucleic acid method was evaluated. At the same time, this method and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) were used to detect clinical samples and the result were compared.Results:The optimal combination of primer pair F2/R2 and probe P2 targeting open reading frame (ORF) 28 gene was selected. Considering the cost factor, the optimal primer concentration was set at 500 nmol/L and the optimal probe concentration was 280 nmol/L. The minimum detection limit was 10 1 copies/μL, and the minimum clinical positive samples with a Ct value of 36.027 could be detected, and the result of repeated experiments were consistent. The method has no cross-reaction with other viral nucleic acids. The detection rate of clinical positive samples was 93.33%, which was almost identical to that of qPCR. Conclusions:This method is simple to operate with high sensitivity, strong specificity, low requirements for experimental conditions, visual detection result, and can detect VZV nucleic acid in samples within 20 minutes, which is a rapid VZV detection method that can be considered for clinical use for detection.

High-voltage pulsed electric field(HV-PEF)ablation technology has demonstrated promising applications in the clinical treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).However,its use has been limited to exploratory applications in a small number of cases,and the underlying mechanisms remain largely undefined.To facilitate broader clinical implementation,comprehensive molecular mechanism studies via extensive animal experimentation are essential.Rats,due to their ease of modeling COPD and the availability of comprehensive molecular reagents,serve as an optimal model for such studies.Consequently,the development of electrodes specifically designed for HV-PEF respiratory ablation in SD rats is of significant importance.In this study,we meticulously examined the anatomical structure of rat airways and investigated various equipment parameters,including material composition,rigidity,diameter,electrode ring dimensions,spacing between positive and negative poles,insulation coating for the catheters,welding techniques between the guidewire and electrode ring,and the design of vent holes in the catheter.Based on these considerations,we fabricated PVC ablation electrode catheters with integrated ventilation functionality.Subsequently,we employed finite element simulation to estimate the field strengths that could be applied by these electrodes.The simulation results were then validated in normal rats to assess the electrical safety and efficacy of the electrodes.These findings laid the groundwork for further investigation into the mechanisms of HV-PEF treatment for COPD.

Dysbiosis can cause microenvironmental dysregulation, which can further lead to local or systemic diseases, such as caries, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and diabetes. Dysbiosis is primarily manifested as the disturbance of metabolic processes and products. Arginine plays an important role in various metabolic processes and homeostasis of the microbial flora and the host. This study aims to explore the potential therapeutic value of arginine and its metabolism and homeostasis regulation in diseases associated with oral-intestinal dysbiosis. Host and microbial homeostasis can be restored by regulating the composition or function of host microbiota, and arginine has been found to exhibit significant clinical potential in restoring host microbiota composition and function. For example, arginine can reduce the risk of caries by regulating the relative abundance of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguineus. Additionally, arginine metabolism may play a therapeutic role in inflammatory bowel disease and obesity by regulating the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. In addition, supplementation of arginine and its metabolite polyamine has clinical prospects in the treatment of diabetic patients with ketoacidosis. Although studies have demonstrated the therapeutic role of arginine in oral, intestinal, and metabolism-related diseases, the specific mechanism is yet to be explored. In addition, further research is required to determine the optimal clinical dosage of arginine that can maintain microbiota homeostasis without causing any side effects.