1.column:Serum short-chain fatty acid levels and their association with atopic dermatitis in pediatric patients
Zhenxiang WANG ; Lele CHEN ; Liping DONG ; Sheng WANG ; Jinlei XU ; Xinying CAI ; Fengli XIAO
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(4):763-769
ObjectiveTo investigate the metabolic alterations of serum short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in pediatric patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and their correlation with different clinical phenotypes using targeted metabolomics. MethodsThis study enrolled 87 AD patients and 67 healthy controls (HC). Serum levels of eight SCFAs were quantified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The associations between SCFAs and AD were assessed using various statistical methods. ResultsCompared with the HC group, levels of acetic acid (AA), propionic acid (PA), and caproic acid (CA) (P=0.002,P=0.002,P=0.043) decreased in the AD group. Logistic regression analysis identified AA (OR=0.449, 95% CI: 0.289–0.698) and PA (OR = 0.487, 95% CI: 0.324–0.732) as protective factors against AD. The combination of AA and PA yielded an area under the curve (AUC) greater than 0.7, indicating good diagnostic efficacy. Age-stratified analysis revealed that AA reduction was predominant in childhood, whereas PA reduction was predominant in adolescence. Pathway enrichment analysis showed significant enrichment of fatty acid biosynthesis (FDR=0.341, P=0.003) and vitamin K metabolism (FDR=1, P=0.039) pathways. Furthermore, subgroup analyses based on disease severity, personal/family history of atopy, and sex revealed no significant differences in SCFAs levels among the groups. ConclusionDifferential serum SCFAs and their enriched metabolic pathways may be implicated in the pathogenesis of AD.
2.Treatment Modalities and Long-Term Outcomes in Unruptured Vertebrobasilar Fusiform Aneurysms: A Nationwide Observational Cohort Study
Linggen DONG ; Dachao WEI ; Xiheng CHEN ; Mingtao LI ; Yang ZHAO ; Yong SUN ; Qingbin NIE ; Jun FENG ; Guomin XIAO ; Jinghua ZHOU ; Shengli HU ; Lifei FENG ; Lifeng QI ; Hongen LIU ; Geng GUO ; Yufang LI ; Renfu TIAN ; Jianghua YU ; Dianshi JIN ; Liang HAO ; Tian TIAN ; Shizhong ZHANG ; Yang WANG ; Liping LIU ; Ming LV
Journal of Stroke 2026;28(2):250-262
Background:
and Purpose Vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms (VBFAs) carry substantial morbidity and mortality, but optimal management for unruptured VBFAs remains unclear. We compared the safety and efficacy of conservative management (CM), stent-assisted coiling (SAC), and flow diverters (FDs) in patients with unruptured VBFAs, focusing on long-term prognosis.
Methods:
This study included data from a nationwide Chinese cohort of patients with vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) balanced confounders across groups. The primary outcome was poor prognosis (modified Rankin Scale score >2). Secondary outcomes included aneurysm rupture, ischemic stroke, compression symptoms, and VBFA-related deaths. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed.
Results:
Among 1,115 patients with unruptured VBFAs, 838 (median age, 54 years; 655 men) were included. After IPTW, baseline characteristics were balanced. Median follow-up was 54 months. FD was associated with a lower risk of poor prognosis than CM (OR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.30 to 0.77]; p=0.002), with no difference between CM and SAC. FD also reduced aneurysm rupture (OR, 0.20 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.60]; p=0.004) and compression symptoms (OR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.13 to 0.68]; p=0.004) versus CM. Time-to-event analyses further revealed significant differences in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, whereas no significant differences were observed in basilar or vertebrobasilar junction lesions or in Type III–IV VBFAs.
Conclusions
Compared with CM, FD was associated with improved long-term outcomes in unruptured VBFAs, particularly in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, although residual confounding cannot be excluded.
3.Analysis of Pharmacodynamic Material Basis, Mechanisms, and Efficacy-related Quality Markers of Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix with Different Therapeutic Effect
Xiaowei MENG ; Zhenzhen YANG ; Wenting WU ; Ronghua LIU ; Yongmei GUAN ; Hui OUYANG ; Liping HUANG ; Yaqi WANG ; Qiong LI ; Huanhuan DONG ; Jianping GONG ; Weifeng ZHU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(18):269-281
Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix are the dried roots of Pueraria lobata and Pueraria thomsonii of the Leguminosae family, respectively. Since their separate inclusion in the 2005 edition of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, the two herbs have been individually recorded. Although they share the same functions and indications, the required content of puerarin differs by a factor of up to eightfold between them. The current quality standard relies solely on a single indicator, puerarin, which fails to reflect the correlation between chemical constituents and core therapeutic effects. This has resulted in prominent issues of mixed use in clinical practice and production, thereby constraining the high-quality development of the industry. Modern research has demonstrated that Puerariae Lobatae Radix contains a comprehensive range and higher content of isoflavonoid constituents, while Puerariae Thomsonii Radix is rich in starch and polysaccharides. Puerariae Lobatae Radix exhibits stronger effects in antipyresis, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular protection, and central analgesia, while Puerariae Thomsonii Radix demonstrates greater advantages in anti-inflammation, hypoglycemia, and peripheral analgesia. Based on this, the chemical material bases of Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix at both the macromolecule and micromolecule levels were systematically reviewed and compared. The pharmacodynamic material bases and mechanisms of action underlying their three core therapeutic effects, namely "relieving exterior syndrome and clearing heat", "promoting fluid production to quench thirst", and "dredging channels and activating collaterals", were summarized. The most highly correlated common metabolic pathway shared by both herbs for these three therapeutic effects is the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway, and their common core target is prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2). This review provided clinical application recommendations based on the therapeutic differences between the two herbs, elucidated the scientific connotation of their "same origin but different effects", and, grounded in the quality marker (Q-Marker), proposed the concept of efficacy-related Q-Marker based on "substance-efficacy-syndrome" association, as well as a novel strategy for efficacy-oriented quality evaluation. Preliminary screening of quality markers associated with different therapeutic effects was also conducted. This study aims to provide critical scientific evidence for the precise clinical application of Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix, the improvement of quality standards, and the high-quality development of the industry.
4.Clinical characteristics of hematological tumors combined with invasive fusarium infection and strategies for treatment,prevention and control
Lili DONG ; Ruoqi SHAN ; Mingmei DU ; Sai HUANG ; Qi LEI ; Liping DOU ; Meng LI
Chinese Journal of Nosocomiology 2025;35(16):2455-2459
OBJECTIVE To explore the clinical characteristics of patients with hematologic tumors combined with Fusarium infection and analyze the prevention and control measures.METHODS Six patients with hematologic neo-plasms combined with Fusarium infection diagnosed at the First Medical Center of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital from Apr.2019 to Dec.2023 were selected as research objects.Through retrospective analysis of patients' clinical data,the clinical manifestations,diagnosis,treatment and prevention strategies of Fusarium in-fection in hematologic neoplasms were analyzed.RESULTS All six patients with hematologic neoplasms combined with Fusarium infection were neutropenic or deficient patients,with main symptoms including moderate fever,painful skin nodules,rash,skin broken and crusted,and scrotal swelling and pain.Patients with severe neutrophil deficiency were susceptible to blood-borne Fusobacterium infections.Four patients had a markedly elevated G-test and Fusorium was first detected by microbiome metagenomic next-generation sequencing(mNGS)in blood,earli-er than traditional pathogenic culture methods.Five patients had Fusarium detected in urine or stool cultures.All six patients received empirical antibacterial and antifungal treatments,but the fungal infection treatment effects were poor.Treatment was adjusted according to the pathogenetic findings,mainly using a combination regimen based on liposomal amphotericin B or posaconazole tablets,with three patients cured and three death.Two pa-tients were from the same ward with a sixteen-day interval.Although no evidence of infection transmission was found,there was still a risk of cross-infection in patients with hematological malignancies and severe immunodefi-ciency.Measures for the prevention and control of hospital-acquired infections were implemented for patients with Fusarium infection and the ward.CONCLUSIONS The clinical manifestations of patients with hematological tumors combined with Fusarium infection are complex and varied with high mortality rates.MNGS testing is valuable in the early diagnosis of Fusarium infection,and it is necessary to explore new treatment options and hospital-ac-quired infectious disease prevention and control measures to improve the prognosis.
5.The performance of long non-coding rnas in the differential diagnosis of elderly pulmonary tuberculosis
Xiuxiu JI ; Siyu YAO ; Jing DONG ; Qiuyue LIU ; Yingchao WANG ; Xuetian SHANG ; Hongyan JIA ; Lanyue ZHANG ; Chuanzhi ZHU ; Zongde ZHANG ; Liping PAN
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2025;44(6):801-807
Objective:To detect the expression levels of long non-coding RNAs(lncRNA)in elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis(PTB)and those with non-tuberculous lung diseases(non-TB), and to assess the performance of these lncRNA in the differential diagnosis of PTB.Methods:A total of 300 elderly patients with suspected PTB were recruited from Beijing Chest Hospital between January 2024 and September 2024, and were further divided into the PTB group and the non-TB lung disease group based on the results of mycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB)pathogenicity testing.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated using a lymphocyte separation solution, and RNA was extracted using the TRIzol method.Nine lncRNAs, previously identified as differentially expressed in PTB through our group's microarray analysis, were selected and detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction to evaluate the expression levels of these lncRNAs between the PTB and non-TB lung disease groups.The overall patients were randomly divided into training and validation sets in a 7∶3 ratio.Lasso regression was employed to select the characteristic variables, and a random forest algorithm was then used to construct the lncRNA diagnostic portfolio.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were generated to evaluate the diagnostic performance of individual lncRNAs and the combined panel in differentiating elderly patients with PTB from those with other non-TB lung diseases.Results:A total of 201 cases were included, with 105 confirmed elderly patients diagnosed with PTB(52.2%)and 96 elderly patients suffering from non-TB lung disease(47.8%).Compared to the elderly patients with non-TB lung disease, the expression levels of ENST00000417346.1, ENST00000620744.1, lncRNA PWP1, ENST00000583184.1, lncRNA ABHD17B, ENST00000607464.1, ENST00000516057.1, and NR_003000 were significantly downregulated in the PTB patients, whereas the expression level of lncRNA BCL2L10 was significantly upregulated in the PTB patients.ROC analysis revealed that the area under the curve(AUC)for each lncRNA ranged from 0.659 to 0.848.The diagnostic panel, which included NR_003000, ENST00000607464.1, ENST00000583184.1, and ENST00000620744.1 as determined by Lasso analysis, exhibited AUC values of 0.917 and 0.906 in the training and validation sets, respectively.The performance of this panel was superior to that of each individual lncRNA.Conclusions:The random forest model, which incorporates NR_003000, ENST00000607464.1, ENST00000583184.1, and ENST00000620744.1, demonstrates potential in differentiating between PTB and non-TB lung diseases.
6.A preliminary study on the application of one-stage clotting assay in Emicizumab laboratory testing
Dong PENG ; Ying WANG ; Liping LUO ; Meizhu LUO ; Qiuyue DUAN ; Guichi ZHOU ; Xiaoying FU
Chinese Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;48(11):1432-1438
Objective:To establish a modified one-stage clotting assay (mOSA) based on the STA-R Evolution coagulation analyzer for quantifying emicizumab (EMI) concentration and to preliminarily evaluate its analytical performance; meanwhile to explore the clinical utility of the standard one-stage clotting assay (sOSA) in indirectly predicting EMI levels through surrogate factor Ⅷ (FⅧ) activity.Methods:A total of 30 pediatric patients with hemophilia A (HA) treated with EMI in the Hemophilia Treatment Center of Shenzhen Children′s Hospital from January 2023 to March 2025 were enrolled, and 48 post-treatment plasma samples were collected. EMI standards (2.5~100 μg/ml) were prepared using FⅧ-deficient plasma to establish the mOSA detection system. The linearity, accuracy, and precision of the method were evaluated. Surrogate FⅧ activity was measured by sOSA to estimate EMI concentrations, and its correlation with mOSA-derived EMI concentrations was analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis. The equivalent FⅧ activity in patient plasma samples was measured using a human chromogenic substrate assay-based FⅧ activity detection reagent, and Spearman correlation analysis was employed to evaluate its correlations with both the EMI concentrations measured by the mOSA method and estimated by the sOSA method respectively.Results:The established mOSA method for EMI detection showed excellent linearity in the range of 2.5?100 μg/ml ( Y=1.047 X?1.033, R 2=0.995, P<0.001). Average spike recovery rates at 25, 50, and 75 μg/ml were 101.55%(25.39/25.00), 105.31%(52.66/50.00), and 98.20%(73.65/75.00), respectively. Coefficients of variations of within-and inter-batch were 3.47%?4.80% and 6.30%?8.96%, respectively. A prediction model for EMI concentration was established as follows: estimated EMI concentration (μg/ml)=0.095×[alternative FⅧ activity (%) measured by sOSA]+2.652 ( R2=0.999, P<0.001). Validation demonstrated a strong correlation between the EMI concentration measured by the mOSA method and the EMI concentration estimated by the sOSA method ( r=0.989, P<0.001), with good consistency ( Y=1.014 X+0.684, R2=0.972, P<0.001). Both the EMI concentration measured by the mOSA method and the EMI concentration estimated by the sOSA method showed extremely strong correlations with the equivalent FⅧ activity ( r=0.986 and 0.987, respectively; P<0.001 for both). Conclusions:The mOSA system established on the STA-R Evolution analyzer demonstrates robust linearity, accuracy, and reproducibility, fulfilling clinical requirements for therapeutic drug monitoring of EMI. The sOSA method provides reliable indirect estimation of EMI concentrations through surrogate FⅧ activity, offering critical support for emergency decision-making.
7.Clinical characteristics of hematological tumors combined with invasive fusarium infection and strategies for treatment,prevention and control
Lili DONG ; Ruoqi SHAN ; Mingmei DU ; Sai HUANG ; Qi LEI ; Liping DOU ; Meng LI
Chinese Journal of Nosocomiology 2025;35(16):2455-2459
OBJECTIVE To explore the clinical characteristics of patients with hematologic tumors combined with Fusarium infection and analyze the prevention and control measures.METHODS Six patients with hematologic neo-plasms combined with Fusarium infection diagnosed at the First Medical Center of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital from Apr.2019 to Dec.2023 were selected as research objects.Through retrospective analysis of patients' clinical data,the clinical manifestations,diagnosis,treatment and prevention strategies of Fusarium in-fection in hematologic neoplasms were analyzed.RESULTS All six patients with hematologic neoplasms combined with Fusarium infection were neutropenic or deficient patients,with main symptoms including moderate fever,painful skin nodules,rash,skin broken and crusted,and scrotal swelling and pain.Patients with severe neutrophil deficiency were susceptible to blood-borne Fusobacterium infections.Four patients had a markedly elevated G-test and Fusorium was first detected by microbiome metagenomic next-generation sequencing(mNGS)in blood,earli-er than traditional pathogenic culture methods.Five patients had Fusarium detected in urine or stool cultures.All six patients received empirical antibacterial and antifungal treatments,but the fungal infection treatment effects were poor.Treatment was adjusted according to the pathogenetic findings,mainly using a combination regimen based on liposomal amphotericin B or posaconazole tablets,with three patients cured and three death.Two pa-tients were from the same ward with a sixteen-day interval.Although no evidence of infection transmission was found,there was still a risk of cross-infection in patients with hematological malignancies and severe immunodefi-ciency.Measures for the prevention and control of hospital-acquired infections were implemented for patients with Fusarium infection and the ward.CONCLUSIONS The clinical manifestations of patients with hematological tumors combined with Fusarium infection are complex and varied with high mortality rates.MNGS testing is valuable in the early diagnosis of Fusarium infection,and it is necessary to explore new treatment options and hospital-ac-quired infectious disease prevention and control measures to improve the prognosis.
8.Diagnostic value of immunohistochemical and molecular markers in diffuse pleural mesothelioma
Shaoling LI ; Chunyan WU ; Liping ZHANG ; Likun HOU ; Zhengwei DONG ; Huikang XIE ; Wei WU ; Wei ZHANG ; Yan HUANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology 2025;41(6):706-712
Purpose To investigate the diagnostic value of immunohistochemical(IHC)and molecular markers in diffuse pleural mesothelioma(DPM).Methods A total of 114 cases of DPM were retrospectively analyzed for clinical and imaging manifestations,histologic subtype and tumor grade.The positivity rates of Calretinin,WT-1,CK5/6,MC,D2-40,UPK3B,and GATA3 were assessed by IHC,and the loss rates of BAP-1 and MTAP were determined.The concordance between MTAP IHC and p16 gene fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)status was calculated,a-long with the sensitivity and specificity of MTAP IHC relative to p16 FISH.Results Among the 114 DPM patients,66(57.9%)were male and 48(42.1%)were female,with a mean age of 58.1 years(range 16-85 years).Imaging predominantly demonstrated pleural effusion and multiple pleural nodules(55.3%,63/114).Histologically,epitheli-oid,sarcomatoid and biphasic subtypes accounted for 88(77.2%),17(14.9%)and 9(7.9%)cases,respectively.Within the epithelioid group,low and high-grade tumors numbered 69(78.4%)and 19(21.6%),respectively.In epithelioid DPM,the highest IHC positivity rates were observed for Calretinin(92.4%,81/88),D2-40(90.0%,79/88)and WT-1(90.0%,79/88).In sarcomatoid DPM,D2-40(76.5%,13/17),WT-1(64.7%,11/17),and Cal-retinin(29.4%,5/17)showed the greatest positivity.UPK3B was positive in epithelioid(59.1%,39/66)and bi-phasic cases(66.7%,4/6),but was absent in sarcomatoid tumors(0/12).Among all DPM cases,loss rates were 47.3%(53/112)for BAP-1 and 19.2%(20/104)for MTAP by IHC,p16 gene deletion by FISH was 31.5%(34/108);Concordance between MTAP IHC and p16 FISH was 81.0%(81/100);MTAP IHC had a specificity of 95.5%(64/67)and sensitivity of 51.5%(17/33)relative to p16 FISH.Additionally,GATA3 was highly expressed in sarco-matoid DPM(76.5%,13/17).UPK3B positivity differed significantly between thoracoscopic DPM(59.2%,32/54)and percutaneous biopsy samples(36.7%,11/30)in epithelioid DPM(P<0.05).WT-1 positivity was higher in thoracoscopic than percutaneous samples of sarcomatoid DPM(90.0% vs 28.6%,P=0.009).Conclusion Calreti-nin,D2-40,and WT-1 are highly sensitive mesothelial markers and should serve as first-line IHC stains in DPM diag-nosis.UPK3B is diagnostically valuable in epithelioid DPM,GATA3 may complement the diagnosis of sarcomatoid DPM,and MTAP IHC can be used as a surrogate or adjunct to p16 FISH.
9.Benvitimod attenuates atopic dermatitis by regulating the NRF2/ROS/NLRP3 signaling pathway
Yun Lu ; Liping Dong ; Maoxin Huang ; Yu Wang ; Tingyue Deng ; Fengli Xiao
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(8):1490-1497,1505
Objective :
To investigate the mechanism of action of benvitimod (BVM) in the treatment of atopic der- matitis (AD) .
Methods :
HaCaT cells were stimulated by TNF-α and IFN-γ , and the cells were grouped into NC group , TNF-α/IFN-γ group , TNF-α/IFN-γ BVM group , and TNF-α/IFN-γ BVM ML385 group. The AD model of DNCB-induced Balb/c mice was divided into CON group , DNCB group , DNCB + BVM group , and DNCB + TAC group. The efficacy of BVM and its roles in antioxidant and pyroptosis regulation were evaluated.
Results:
Compared with the control group , BVM inhibited the inflammatory response of HaCaT cells stimulated by TNF-α and IFN-γ , and ameliorated the skin lesions and inflammation in the DNCB-induced AD mouse model ; at the same time , it significantly increased the expression of nuclearfactorerythroid-2-relatedfactor2 (NRF2)-related anti-oxida- tive stress proteins , and significantly reduced the expression of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and pyroptosis proteins. At the same time , the levels of NRF2-related antioxidative stress proteins significantly in- creased , and the levels of ROS and pyroptosis proteins significantly decreased.
Conclusion
BVM activates the NRF2/ROS/NLRP3 pathway to inhibit pyroptosis , thereby reducing the inflammatory response in AD.
10.The performance of long non-coding rnas in the differential diagnosis of elderly pulmonary tuberculosis
Xiuxiu JI ; Siyu YAO ; Jing DONG ; Qiuyue LIU ; Yingchao WANG ; Xuetian SHANG ; Hongyan JIA ; Lanyue ZHANG ; Chuanzhi ZHU ; Zongde ZHANG ; Liping PAN
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2025;44(6):801-807
Objective:To detect the expression levels of long non-coding RNAs(lncRNA)in elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis(PTB)and those with non-tuberculous lung diseases(non-TB), and to assess the performance of these lncRNA in the differential diagnosis of PTB.Methods:A total of 300 elderly patients with suspected PTB were recruited from Beijing Chest Hospital between January 2024 and September 2024, and were further divided into the PTB group and the non-TB lung disease group based on the results of mycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB)pathogenicity testing.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated using a lymphocyte separation solution, and RNA was extracted using the TRIzol method.Nine lncRNAs, previously identified as differentially expressed in PTB through our group's microarray analysis, were selected and detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction to evaluate the expression levels of these lncRNAs between the PTB and non-TB lung disease groups.The overall patients were randomly divided into training and validation sets in a 7∶3 ratio.Lasso regression was employed to select the characteristic variables, and a random forest algorithm was then used to construct the lncRNA diagnostic portfolio.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were generated to evaluate the diagnostic performance of individual lncRNAs and the combined panel in differentiating elderly patients with PTB from those with other non-TB lung diseases.Results:A total of 201 cases were included, with 105 confirmed elderly patients diagnosed with PTB(52.2%)and 96 elderly patients suffering from non-TB lung disease(47.8%).Compared to the elderly patients with non-TB lung disease, the expression levels of ENST00000417346.1, ENST00000620744.1, lncRNA PWP1, ENST00000583184.1, lncRNA ABHD17B, ENST00000607464.1, ENST00000516057.1, and NR_003000 were significantly downregulated in the PTB patients, whereas the expression level of lncRNA BCL2L10 was significantly upregulated in the PTB patients.ROC analysis revealed that the area under the curve(AUC)for each lncRNA ranged from 0.659 to 0.848.The diagnostic panel, which included NR_003000, ENST00000607464.1, ENST00000583184.1, and ENST00000620744.1 as determined by Lasso analysis, exhibited AUC values of 0.917 and 0.906 in the training and validation sets, respectively.The performance of this panel was superior to that of each individual lncRNA.Conclusions:The random forest model, which incorporates NR_003000, ENST00000607464.1, ENST00000583184.1, and ENST00000620744.1, demonstrates potential in differentiating between PTB and non-TB lung diseases.


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