To investigate the changes in peripheral blood immune cells before and after the onset of septic shock in patients with malignant tumors, and to analyze the relationship between these immune cells and patient prognosis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the role of interleukin （IL）-17A in acute inhalational pneumonia induced by the highly drug-resistant and hypervirulent Staphylococcus aureus strain USA300-R in mice. MethodsAn acute inhalational pneumonia model was established in mice using an aerosolized pulmonary delivery technique. RNA sequencing （RNA-seq） and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） were employed to examine the expression dynamics of Il17a mRNA and IL-17A protein， respectively， in the lungs of infected mice. Il17a knockout （Il17a^-/-） mice were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology. The survival rate， body weight， bacterial load in lung tissue， and histopathological changes were compared between Il17a^-/- and wild-type （WT） mice following inhalational infection with USA300-R. Results12 hours after USA300-R infection， compared to pre-infection， the expression level of Il17a mRNA in lung tissue and the level of IL-17A protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） increased by approximately 50-fold （P<0.01） and 6-fold （P<0.001）， respectively. Compared to WT mice， Il17a^-/- mice exhibited approximately 10-fold higher bacterial loads in lung tissue at both 12 and 24 hours post-infection （P<0.001， P<0.05）. However， they showed significantly attenuated lung histopathological injury， reduced alveolar wall thickening， markedly decreased neutrophil infiltration， and an approximately 50% improvement in survival rate （P<0.05）. ConclusionIn acute Staphylococcus aureus USA300-R inhalational pneumonia， IL-17A contributes to bacterial clearance by recruiting neutrophils； however， excessive neutrophil infiltration exacerbates pulmonary inflammation and injury， reduces survival rates， and represents a potential therapeutic target.

Objective:To develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based automatic scoring model for magnetic resonance imaging-detected extramural vascular invasion (AI-mrEMVI) and evaluate its performance and prognostic value in patients with rectal cancer.Methods:In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, a total of 2 501 rectal cancer patients from seven centers between November 2012 and December 2020 were included and divided into completely independent training ( n=1 830) and validation ( n=671) cohorts. A nnUNet-based AI-mrEMVI scoring model was constructed. Manual mrEMVI scores assigned by two radiologists served as the reference standard for accessing the accuracy of the AI-mrEMVI scoring. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression were used to evaluate the prognostic stratification ability of the AI-mrEMVI scores. The concordance index (C-index) was calculated to evaluate prognostic performance. Results:In the validation cohort, the manual mrEMVI scores were 0-2 in 425 patients (63.3%), 3 in 89 (13.4%), and 4 in 157 (23.4%). The AI-mrEMVI model identified 0-2 in 375 patients (55.9%), 3 in 95 (14.2%), and 4 in 201 (30.0%), with an overall accuracy of 81.1% (544/671, 95% CI 77.9%-84.0%). The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates for patients with AI-mrEMVI scores of 0-2, 3, and 4 were 85.2%, 70.0%, and 58.2%, respectively, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 87.2%, 81.6%, and 62.6%, respectively (DFS: χ2=48.74, P<0.001; OS: χ2=30.04, P<0.001). Multivariable Cox regression showed that for DFS, AI-mrEMVI scores of 3 and 4 were associated with hazard ratios ( HR) of 1.75 (95% CI 1.11-2.77, P=0.016) and 2.65 (95% CI 1.86-3.78, P<0.001), respectively. For OS, an AI-mrEMVI score of 4 was associated with an HR of 2.56 (95% CI 1.62-4.03, P<0.001). The C-index values of the AI-mrEMVI scoring model for predicting DFS and OS were 0.647 (95% CI 0.608-0.686) and 0.650 (95% CI 0.598-0.702), respectively. Conclusion:The proposed AI-mrEMVI automatic scoring model demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy and performed favorably in predicting DFS and OS prognostic risk in patients with rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND:Excessive apoptosis in skeletal muscle cells will destroy the dynamic balance of the number of myocytes,leading to pathological injury of skeletal muscle.Lijin manipulation is effective in treating skeletal muscle injury,but whether it can inhibit apoptosis and promote the repair of skeletal muscle injury is unknown.OBJECTIVE:To explore the mechanism by which Lijin manipulation reduces inflammation and apoptosis during the repair of skeletal muscle injury in rabbits.METHODS:Forty-five healthy adult Japanese white rabbits were randomly divided into blank group,model group and Lijin group(n=15 per group).No intervention was performed in the blank group.Gastrocnemius muscle percussion molding was performed in both the model group and Lijin group.After modeling,the model group was not treated,while the Lijin manipulation(Stroking,kneading,and rubbing)was performed in the Lijin group on the 3rd day,once a day,15 min/time.Sampling in each group was performed on the 7th,14th and 21st days after modeling.The general morphological structure of gastrocnemius was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining.The ultrastructure of gastrocnemius muscle was observed by transmission electron microscopy.Apoptosis of gastrocnemius cells was observed by TUNEL staining.The expressions of interleukin-1β,interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 in gastrocnemius muscle were detected by ELISA.The protein expressions of BAX,BCL-2 and Caspase3 in gastrocnemius muscle were detected by western blot.The mRNA expression of BAX and BCL-2 was detected by RT-PCR.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Hematoxylin-eosin staining results showed that compared with the model group,inflammatory cells decreased in number,myocyte amount increased,and muscle tissue gradually healed in the Lijin group at each observation point.(2)The results of transmission electron microscopy showed that compared with the model group,the arrangement of muscle fibers at each observation point in the Lijin group was gradually orderly,mitochondria were gradually complete,Z-line arrangement was gradually regular,and free ribosomes were gathered.(3)TUNEL staining results showed that compared with the model group,apoptosis rate in the Lijin group was gradually decreased at all observation points(P<0.05).(4)ELISA results showed that compared with the model group,the expression of interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 in the Lijin group continued to decrease(P<0.05),while the expression of interleukin-10 increased on the 7th day after modeling,and then showed a downward trend(P<0.05).(5)Western blot results showed that compared with the model group,the expression of BCL-2 protein/BAX protein in the Lijin group was significantly increased at each observational point(P<0.05).The protein expression of Caspase3 decreased significantly(P<0.001),and was gradually similar to that of the blank group.(6)RT-PCR results showed that compared with the model group,the mRNA expression level of BCL-2/BAX in the Lijin group was significantly higher at each observational point(P<0.05).To conclude,Lijin manipulation can inhibit inflammation,reduce apoptosis,and promote the repair of injured skeletal muscle.

Objective To investigate the correlation between early clinical outcomes following endoscopic surgery for unilateral lumbar disc herniation and variations in the cross-sectional area of the sciatic nerve.Methods Fifty-two patients(n=52)with unilateral lumbar disc herniation were recruited from June 2023 to June 2024 at the Pain Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University.The cross-sectional area(CSA)values of bilateral sciatic nerves were measured at the gluteal sciatic tuberosity-great femoral rotor level using ultrasound before and on the 4th day after surgery.The change in nerve cross-sectional area ΔCSA and sciatic nerve swelling rate(SR-SN)were calculated.Patient BMI(Body Mass Index),visual analog scale(VAS),Japanese Orthopaedic Association score(JOA),Oswestry Disability Index(ODI),and Treatment Improvement Rate(TIR)were collected preoperatively and on postoperative day 4.Changes in sciatic nerve cross-sectional area in unilateral lumbar disc herniation and its relationship to clinical outcomes were analyzed using the scoring scales as controls.Results Compared to the preoperative period,there was a significant decrease in VAS and ODI scores,as well as an increase in JOA score on the 4th postoperative day(P<0.01).Furthermore,surgical intervention led to substantial improve-ment in clinical outcomes for the patients.Prior to surgery,the CSA value of the affected side of the sciatic nerve was greater than that of the healthy side(P<0.01).Although CSA value decreased on the affected side after surgery,it remained higher than that of the healthy side(P<0.01).Additionally,there was a significant difference between SR-SN values on both sides with higher values observed on the affected side(P<0.01).Notably,△CSA on the affected side exhibited a negative correlation with postoperative VAS score,JOA score,and treatment improvement rate(P<0.05);The SR-SN on the affected side exhibited a positive correlation with BMI and negative correlations with postoperative VAS score,JOA score,and treatment improvement rate(P<0.05).However,no significant correlations were observed between △CSA,SR-SN,and ODI score on the affected side.(P>0.05).Conclusions In patients undergoing endoscopic surgery for lumbar disc herniation,a greater change in the cross-sectional area of the affected sciatic nerve before and after the operation is associated with more pronounced improvement in early symptoms.However,further investigation is required to explore the relationship between this change and recovery of both lumbar spine and lower limb function.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of Kuijie Ankang Decoction in regulating immune,autophagy and intestinal flora in the treatment of ulcerative colitis(UC).Methods UC mouse model was established by free drinking with sodium dextran sulfate.The mice were randomly divided into blank control group,model group,Kuijie Ankang Decoction group,salazine sulfopyridine(SASP)group and 3-methyladenine(3-MA)group,with 12 mice in each group.Each drug group was given corresponding drugs for gavage,the blank control group and model group were given the same volume of distilled water for gavage for 7 days.The general condition of mice was observed and the disease activity index(DAI)was scored,the morphology of colon tissue was observed by HE staining,the contents of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8 and IL-10 in colon tissue were detected by ELISA,the mRNA and protein expressions of LC3,Beclin-1 and p62 in colon tissue were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot,respectively.16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze the structure of intestinal flora.Results Compared with the blank control group,the mice in the model group showed a decrease in body mass,an increase in DAI score,a decrease in colon length,serious mucosal injury and inflammatory cell infiltration,the contents of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 and IL-8 in colon tissue significantly increased(P<0.05,P<0.01),the content of IL-10 decreased(P<0.01),the mRNA expressions of LC3 and Beclin-1 in colon tissue decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),the mRNA and protein expression of p62 increased(P<0.01),while the expressions of LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ and Beclin-1 proteins decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the body mass of mice in Kuijie Ankang Decoction group and SASP group increased(P<0.05),DAI score decreased(P<0.05),the colon length increased(P<0.05),the pathological damage of colon mucosa was alleviated,the contents of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 and IL-8 in colon tissue decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),the content of IL-10 increased(P<0.01),the expressions of LC3 and Beclin-1 mRNA in colon tissue increased(P<0.05,P<0.01),the expression of p62 mRNA and protein decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),the expressions of LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰand Beclin-1 protein increased(P<0.05,P<0.01).16S rDNA sequencing results showed that the diversity and evenness of the intestinal flora in the model group mice decreased,with a decrease in the relative abundance of Firmicutes,Actinobacteria and Patescibacteria(P<0.05),and an increase in the relative abundance of Bacteroidota,Verrucomicrobiota and Proteobacteria(P<0.05);the relative abundance of Bacilli and Coriobacteriia decreased(P<0.05),the relative abundance of Bacteroidia,Clostridia and Verrucomicrobiae increased(P<0.05);the relative abundance of Ligilactobacillus and Dubosiella decreased(P<0.05),the relative abundance of unclassified Muribaculaceae,Lachnospiraceae NK4A136_group,Akkermansia and unclassified Lachnospiraceae increased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the diversity and evenness of intestinal flora increased in Kuijie Ankang Decoction group and SASP group,with an increase in the relative abundance of Firmicutes(P<0.05),a decrease in the relative abundance of Bacteroidota and Verrucomicrobiota(P<0.05),the relative abundance of Bacteroidia and Bacilli increased(P<0.05),the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobiae decreased(P<0.05);the relative abundance of unclassified Muribaculaceae and Ligilactobacillus increased(P<0.05),while the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae NK4A136_group and Akkermansia decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion Kuijie Ankang Decoction can significantly improve the intestinal mucosal injury of UC mice,and the mechanism may be related to the regulation of colon autophagy level and intestinal flora disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical characteristics and genetic etiology of a child with Oral-facial-digital syndrome type Ⅰ(OFDSⅠ). METHODS: A child with OFDSⅠ who received treatment at the Women and Children's Hospital Affiliated to Ningbo University in March 2023 was selected as the study subject. A retrospective research method was used to collect the clinical data of the child. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected from the child, her parents and sister. Genomic DNA was extracted, and whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed. Candidate variants were validated using Sanger sequencing for familial verification. According to the Standards and Guidelines for the Interpretation of Sequence Variants developed by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) (hereinafter referred to as the "ACMG Guidelines"), the pathogenicity of the candidate variant was rated. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Ningbo University Affiliated Women and Children's Hospital (Ethic No.: EC 2024-063). RESULTS: The child was a prematurely born female with deformities of the oral cavity, fingers, and toes. She was admitted to the Neonatal Department of the Hospital where she was born due to shortness of breath 15 minutes after birth. The WES results indicated that the child has harbored a heterozygous c.710dup (p.Y238Vfs*2) frameshifting variant of the OFD1 gene. Sanger sequencing confirmed that neither of the child's parents nor her sister had carried the same variant. According to the ACMG guidelines, the variant was rated as pathogenic (PVS1+PS4_Moderate+PM2-Supporting+PM6_Supporting+PP4). CONCLUSION Children with OFDSⅠ have clinical features such as oral, finger, and toe deformities. The c.710dup (p.Y238Vfs*2) variant of the OFD1 gene probably underlay the OFDSⅠ in this child. Above result has enriched the mutational spectrum of the OFD1 gene.
Humans ; Female ; Orofaciodigital Syndromes/genetics* ; Exome Sequencing ; Retrospective Studies ; Mutation ; Child ; Proteins

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic characteristics and pathogenesis for a child with mosaicism trisomy 21 and Congenital leukemia (CL). METHODS: A child who was admitted to Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital in March 2023 was selected as the study subject. A retrospective analysis was carried out on the clinical data, laboratory test results, immunophenotyping, and genetic characteristics of the child. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Hospital (Ethics No.: EC2024-063). RESULTS: Whole genome sequencing (WGS) revealed that the child has mosaicism trisomy of chromosome 21, with a ratio of approximately 74%. In addition, copy number variations involving multiple OMIM genes that could explain his clinical phenotype were detected and rated as pathogenic based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). No pathogenic variant was detected with the GATA1 gene. Blood immune typing of the child conformed to the immunophenotype of acute myeloid leukemia. CONCLUSION For children with trisomy 21, even in the absence of GATA1 gene variants, the occurrence of CL should be monitored, and early diagnosis and treatment are of great significance for improving the prognosis.
Child, Preschool ; Humans ; DNA Copy Number Variations/genetics* ; Down Syndrome/genetics* ; GATA1 Transcription Factor/genetics* ; Leukemia/congenital* ; Mosaicism ; Mutation ; Retrospective Studies ; Whole Genome Sequencing

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the joints of the limbs. As the disease progresses, it can involve multiple organ systems. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the most common pulmonary manifestation of RA. Reported animal models of RA-ILD include adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA), collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), and transgenic mouse arthritis. However, the establishment criteria and evaluation methods for these models lack uniform standards, and they fail to fully replicate the clinicopathological characteristics of RA-ILD. This limitation significantly hinders research into the pathogenesis and development of therapeutic drugs for RA-ILD. Objective: The aim of the study was to review literature in China and abroad on RA-ILD animal models, analyze current research progress, identify existing issues, and propose research recommendations. Methods: Literature searches were conducted using the English keywords “rheumatoid arthritis, interstitial lung disease, model” and the Chinese keywords “(rheumatoid arthritis), (interstitial lung disease), (model)” or “(rheumatoid arthritis), (lung interstitial lesions), (model).” The search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP (China Science and Technology Journal Database) for articles published before November 2024. A total of 41 articles were included. Results and conclusions: The CIA model and the CIA model combined with bleomycin are commonly used due to their similarities to the histopathology and disease manifestations of human RA-ILD. Additionally, these models have appropriate cost and modeling duration, along with a high success rate, making them preferable choices. Transgenic animal models exhibit pathological features similar to the nonspecific interstitial pneumonia subtype of human RA-ILD and are useful for studying the genetic effects on RA-ILD. However, they have drawbacks such as high economic costs, long modeling durations, and a low success rate in some cases. The AA model is easy to establish, requires a short modeling period, and has low experimental costs. However, it lacks the chronic pathological development characteristic of human RA and exhibits a degree of self-limitation in lesion progression. Among other models, the comprehensive HLA-DQ8 transgenic mouse model can be used to study the combined effects of genetic and environmental factors on RA-ILD. The collagen autoantibody-induced arthritis model combined with bleomycin has a short modeling period, but it does not align well with the disease course of RA-ILD. These established animal models provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of RA-ILD, the identification of novel biomarkers, and the development of new therapeutic approaches. Future research should focus on identifying an animal model that better replicates the physiological and pathological changes of clinical RA-ILD while being more convenient, cost-effective, and comprehensive in reflecting disease progression.

Objective:To develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based automatic scoring model for magnetic resonance imaging-detected extramural vascular invasion (AI-mrEMVI) and evaluate its performance and prognostic value in patients with rectal cancer.Methods:In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, a total of 2 501 rectal cancer patients from seven centers between November 2012 and December 2020 were included and divided into completely independent training ( n=1 830) and validation ( n=671) cohorts. A nnUNet-based AI-mrEMVI scoring model was constructed. Manual mrEMVI scores assigned by two radiologists served as the reference standard for accessing the accuracy of the AI-mrEMVI scoring. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression were used to evaluate the prognostic stratification ability of the AI-mrEMVI scores. The concordance index (C-index) was calculated to evaluate prognostic performance. Results:In the validation cohort, the manual mrEMVI scores were 0-2 in 425 patients (63.3%), 3 in 89 (13.4%), and 4 in 157 (23.4%). The AI-mrEMVI model identified 0-2 in 375 patients (55.9%), 3 in 95 (14.2%), and 4 in 201 (30.0%), with an overall accuracy of 81.1% (544/671, 95% CI 77.9%-84.0%). The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates for patients with AI-mrEMVI scores of 0-2, 3, and 4 were 85.2%, 70.0%, and 58.2%, respectively, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 87.2%, 81.6%, and 62.6%, respectively (DFS: χ2=48.74, P<0.001; OS: χ2=30.04, P<0.001). Multivariable Cox regression showed that for DFS, AI-mrEMVI scores of 3 and 4 were associated with hazard ratios ( HR) of 1.75 (95% CI 1.11-2.77, P=0.016) and 2.65 (95% CI 1.86-3.78, P<0.001), respectively. For OS, an AI-mrEMVI score of 4 was associated with an HR of 2.56 (95% CI 1.62-4.03, P<0.001). The C-index values of the AI-mrEMVI scoring model for predicting DFS and OS were 0.647 (95% CI 0.608-0.686) and 0.650 (95% CI 0.598-0.702), respectively. Conclusion:The proposed AI-mrEMVI automatic scoring model demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy and performed favorably in predicting DFS and OS prognostic risk in patients with rectal cancer.