Objective:To investigate the intervention effect of topical shikonin on an imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like mouse model and its effect on expression of CCAAT enhancer binding protein δ (CEBPD) .Methods:Twenty specific pathogen-free BALB/c male mice were randomly and equally divided into model group, shikonin 1 group, shikonin 2 group and blank control group by using simple random sampling. Mice in the model group, shikonin 1 group and shikonin 2 group were topically treated with 50 mg of 5% imiquimod cream every day on the shaved back to establish the psoriasis-like mouse model. After 6-hour treatment, mice in the shikonin 1 group and shikonin 2 group were treated with 0.5 ml of shikonin at concentrations of 0.576 and 5.76 g/L respectively in the modeling area for 8 consecutive days; the blank control group received no treatment. Changes in the skin lesions of these mice were observed by naked eyes every day, and evaluated by using psoriasis area severity index (PASI) ; after 8-day treatment, the mice were sacrificed by cervical dislocation, the dorsal skin tissues were resected, and immunohistochemical study and Western blot analysis were performed to determine the expression of CEBPD in the mouse epidermis. Statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS 16.0 software by using one-way analysis of variance for comparisons of observation indices among different groups, as well as least significant difference- t test for multiple comparisons. Results:On day 8, the mice in the model group presented with obvious erythema, scales, and infiltrative and thickened skin lesions; compared with the model group, the skin lesions were markedly improved in the shikonin 1 group and shikonin 2 group, and the improvement was more obvious in the shikonin 2 group. On day 8, the PASI score significantly differed among the blank control group, model group, shikonin 1 group and shikonin 2 group (0, 11.0±1.22, 8.6±0.55, 5.8±1.30 points, respectively; F=128.21, P<0.01) , and there were significant differences between any two groups (all P < 0.01) . Immunohistochemical study showed a significant difference in the expression of CEBPD ( A value) among the model group, shikonin 1 group, shikonin 2 group and blank control group (0.072±0.026, 0.177±0.036, 0.290±0.062, 0.407±0.051, respectively; F=48.895, P < 0.01) , and there were also significant differences between any two groups (all P < 0.01) . Western blot analysis showed that the CEBPD expression in the mouse epidermis was highest in the blank control group, followed in descending order by the shikonin 2 group, shikonin 1 group and model group, and significantly differed among the above 4 groups ( F=10.237, P<0.05) ; moreover, there were significant differences in the CEBPD expression between the model group and blank control group, as well as between the shikonin 1 group and blank control group (both P<0.05) , while no significant difference was observed between the shikonin 2 group and the blank control group ( P > 0.05) . Conclusion:Topical shikonin could effectively interfere with the development of imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like mouse model; CEBPD expression decreased in the psoriasis-like mouse model, and could be markedly upregulated by topical application of shikonin.

Objective: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and insomnia symptoms are common in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), which might lead to a poor prognosis and an increased risk of depression relapse. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence, and sociodemographic and clinical correlates of EDS and insomnia symptoms among adolescents with MDD. Methods: The sample of this cross-sectional study included 297 adolescents (mean age=15.26 years; range=12–18 years; 218 females) with MDD recruited from three general and four psychiatric hospitals in five cities (Hefei, Bengbu, Fuyang, Suzhou, and Ma’anshan) in Anhui Province, China between January and August, 2021. EDS and insomnia symptoms, and clinical severity of depressive symptoms were assessed using Epworth sleepiness scale, Insomnia Severity Index, and Clinical Global Impression-Severity. Results: The prevalence of EDS and insomnia symptoms in adolescents with MDD was 39.7% and 38.0%, respectively. Binary logistic regression analyses showed that EDS symptoms were significantly associated with higher body mass index (odds ratio [OR]=1.097, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.027–1.172), more severe depressive symptoms (OR=1.313, 95% CI=1.028–1.679), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors use (OR=2.078, 95% CI=1.199–3.601). And insomnia symptoms were positively associated with female sex (OR=1.955, 95% CI=1.052–3.633), suicide attempts (OR=1.765, 95% CI=1.037–3.005), more severe depressive symptoms (OR=2.031, 95% CI=1.523–2.709), and negatively associated with antipsychotics use (OR=0.433, 95% CI=0.196–0.952). Conclusion EDS and insomnia symptoms are common among adolescents with MDD. Considering their negative effects on the clinical prognosis, regular screening and clinical managements should be developed for this patient population.

The fatality rate of liver failure caused by fatal amanita poisoning is high, and there are no effective antidote drugs in China. On July 30, 2020, the department of infectious diseases and liver diseases of the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province admitted a 67-year-old female patient with liver failure caused by fatal amanita poisoning. The patient went to the emergency department for treatment due to abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea after eating 350-400 g of amanita mushroom for 2 days, accompanied by fatigue for 1 day. There was no abnormality in physical examination. Laboratory indexes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 4 798 U/L, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 10 030 U/L, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) 57.5 s, prothrombin time (PT) 72.1 s, international normalized ratio (INR) 8.66, prothrombinactivity (PA) 10%. Based on the patient's medical history, clinical manifestations and laboratory data, the diagnosis was amanita peptide mushroom poisoning and acute liver failure. According to the mechanism of amanita toxin poisoning as enterohepatic circulation, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and ultrasound-guided gallbladder puncture and drainage for drainage of bile to discharge toxins were performed to interrupt the enterohepatic circulation of toxins. However, both methods failed, so open cholecystostomy was performed. Because the patient's coagulation function was very poor, artificial hepatic plasma exchange was given to improve coagulation function before open cholecystostomy, and eventually bile was drained successfully. After a total of 19 days of comprehensive medical treatment, the patient was cured and discharged from the hospital, and no sequelae was found after 1 year of follow-up. For such patients, early identification of the disease is required, and blocking the enterohepatic circulation of toxins as soon as possible according to the characteristics and toxicological mechanism of toxins may be the key treatment for rescuing patients with liver failure poisoned by amanita toxin, and it is necessary to combine comprehensive treatments such as active fluid replacement and blood purification to further improve the survival rate.

BACKGROUND: Textbook outcome (TO) can guide decision-making among patients and clinicians during preoperative patient selection and postoperative quality improvement. We explored the factors associated with achieving a TO for gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) after curative-intent resection and analyzed the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) on TO and non-TO patients. METHODS: A total of 540 patients who underwent curative-intent resection for GBC at the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2011 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the factors associated with TO. RESULTS: Among 540 patients with GBC who underwent curative-intent resection, 223 patients (41.3%) achieved a TO. The incidence of TO ranged from 19.0% to 51.0% across the study period, with a slightly increasing trend over the study period. The multivariate analysis showed that non-TO was an independent risk factor for prognosis among GBC patients after resection ( P = 0.003). Age ≤60 years ( P = 0.016), total bilirubin (TBIL) level ≤34.1 μmol/L ( P <0.001), well-differentiated tumor ( P = 0.008), no liver involvement ( P <0.001), and T1-2 stage disease ( P = 0.006) were independently associated with achieving a TO for GBC after resection. Before and after propensity score matching (PSM), the overall survival outcomes of non-TO GBC patients who received ACT and those who did not were statistically significant; ACT improved the prognosis of patients in the non-TO group ( P <0.05). CONCLUSION Achieving a TO is associated with a better long-term prognosis among GBC patients after curative-intent resection, and ACT can improve the prognosis of those with non-TO.
Humans ; Middle Aged ; Gallbladder Neoplasms/pathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Prognosis ; Hepatectomy ; Cholecystectomy