Objective:To investigate clinical features and non-invasive skin imaging findings of acquired facial hyperpigmented macules in children.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical characteristics of children with acquired facial hyperpigmented macules diagnosed in the Outpatient Department of Dermatology, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January 2020 to June 2023. Reflectance confocal microscopy and dermoscopy were performed to observe lesions and perilesional normal skin, and the imaging findings were summarized.Results:A total of 131 children with acquired facial hyperpigmented macules were collected, including 88 males and 43 females; their ages ranged from 2 to 25 months, the age at onset was 11.50 ± 7.15 months, and the disease duration was 6.50 ± 4.66 months. The lesions were distributed in the temporal and/or frontal regions, mostly measuring 4 to 10 mm in length. They mainly manifested as non-confluent irregular brown or brownish-red hyperpigmented macules, without scales on the surface. The total number of lesions was less than 10 in 19 cases (14.50%), between 10 and 20 in 75 cases (57.25%), and more than 20 in 37 cases (28.24%). Reflectance confocal microscopy revealed no elongation of the rete ridges, but mild increased pigmentation in the basal layer, slight vascular dilatation in the dermal papilla and superficial dermis, and scattered melanophages and inflammatory cells infiltrating some lesions. Dermoscopy showed pigment networks with varying color darkness, which were distributed along the dermatoglyphs, and mixed with linear or punctate vessels.Conclusions:Acquired facial hyperpigmented macules is a common skin disease occurring in infants and young children, and is characterized by typical lesions by reflectance confocal microscopy and dermoscopy. Histopathological examination may be unnecessary for its diagnosis, and skin imaging techniques can help improve diagnostic accuracy.

Objective:To summarize the clinical and related characteristics of hospitalized patients with pemphigus, and to analyze their correlations with systemic inflammatory and serological indicators.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data from pemphigus patients hospitalized in the Department of Dermatology, Wuhan No.1 Hospital from January 2021 to December 2023. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to assess the correlations between the Pemphigus Disease Area Index (PDAI) scores and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) , pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) , serum albumin levels, anti-desmoglein 1/3 (Dsg-1/3) antibody levels, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Linear regression models were used to evaluate the associations of systemic inflammatory and serological indicators with the length of hospital stay and treatment costs. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the effect of these indicators on the risk of infection in pemphigus patients.Results:A total of 235 pemphigus patients were included (112 males and 123 females) , with ages of 58.12 ± 16.47 years. Among them, 73 patients (31.06%) had pemphigus alone, while 162 (68.94%) had comorbidities including tumors, infections, or hypoalbuminemia. PDAI scores showed significantly positive correlations with SII, PIV, and CRP levels ( r = 0.62, 0.58, 0.50, respectively, all P<0.001) . According to PDAI scores, 164 cases (69.79%) were classified as mild pemphigus, 57 (24.26%) as moderate pemphigus, and 14 (5.96%) as severe pemphigus; compared with the patients with mild pemphigus, those with moderate-to-severe pemphigus had significantly increased SII, PIV, anti-Dsg-1 antibody and CRP levels, but significantly decreased serum albumin levels (all P < 0.05) . Among the 235 patients, 213 were diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris, 9 with pemphigus erythematosus, 10 with pemphigus foliaceus, and 3 with paraneoplastic pemphigus; serum albumin levels and anti-Dsg-1/3 antibody levels differed significantly among patients with different subtypes of pemphigus (all P < 0.05) . The serum albumin level was significantly associated with the length of hospital stay and treatment costs ( β [95% CI]: -0.729 [-0.946 - -0.512], -0.266 [-0.362 - -0.171], respectively, both P < 0.001) ; furthermore, the serum albumin level was identified as a relevant factor for infections in pemphigus patients ( OR = 0.938, 95% CI: 0.883 - 0.995, P = 0.036) . Conclusion:SII, PIV, CRP, serum albumin, and anti-Dsg-1 antibody levels could reflect the severity of pemphigus to some extent, and the serum albumin level was significantly associated with comorbid infections, length of hospital stay, and treatment costs in hospitalized patients with pemphigus.

Objective:To investigate the prenatal echocardiographic features of fetuses diagnosed with Ebstein anomaly (EA), identify prognostic factors affect the fetal and neonatal mortality, and evaluate the clinical value of the Simpson Andrews Sharland prognostic score (SAS prognostic score).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 37 fetuses diagnosed with EA via prenatal and postnatal echocardiography at Guangdong Provincial People′s Hospital from June 2012 to June 2024. The echocardiographic features of EA patients were summarized. According to the patients′ survival statuses during the fetal and neonatal periods, they were divided into survival group and death group for a comparative analysis of key echocardiographic parameters, as well as SAS prognostic score. Also, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was employed to assess the predictive abilities of various indicators. Finally, based on the medium-and long-term prognostic outcomes of EA cases, the predictive value of the SAS system was evaluated. The t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Fisher exact test were used for group comparison. Results:Regarding the 37 EA cases, the gestational age at the initial diagnosis was (29±4) weeks. All of EA fetuses exhibited echocardiographic characterized by tricuspid regurgitation (TR) originating below the native tricuspid annulus with the severity varied, accompanied by manifestations such as right atrial enlargement. Of all cases, 5 cases (14%) died prenatally, and 32 cases (86%) were born alive. Postnatally, 4 cases died preoperatively, 1 case died postoperatively, and 27 cases survived. Compared with the survival group, the death group had a significantly higher average SAS prognostic score (6.9±1.1 vs. 2.0±1.5, t=9.17, P<0.001), right atrium (RA) to left atrium (LA) transverse diameter ratio (2.0±0.5 vs. 1.3±0.2, t=4.87, P=0.001) and TR area to RA area ratio (0.8±0.2 vs. 0.4±0.2, t=5.27, P<0.001). According to the ROC analysis, the optimal predictive value indicators are RA to LA transverse diameter ratio (AUC=0.93, 95% CI 0.81-1.00) and the TR area-to-RA area ratio (AUC=0.93, 95% CI 0.85-1.00); the optimal cut-point values were 1.5 and 0.5, respectively. Of 32 born alive cases, 21 cases (66%) didn′t undergo surgery, 2 cases (6%) underwent bidirectional Glenn surgery, and one case (3%) underwent tricuspid valvuloplasty. All 17 cases with SAS score≤2 survived, while all 9 cases with SAS score≥6 died. Among the 11 cases with a score from 3 to 5, 8 cases achieved a biventricular outcome. Conclusions:The typical echocardiographic feature of EA fetuses is that the originating point of TR is below the native tricuspid annulus and the severity can vary. The SAS score is essential for tiered prognosis. When the SAS is 3-5, dynamic monitoring for TR and RA enlargement should be employed to help guide prenatal intervention and reduce fetal and neonatal mortality.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the association of microRNA-26a(miR-26a),Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)expression in patients with condyloma acuminatum and their clinical characteristics with high-risk human papillo-mavirus(HPV)infection.METHODS A total of 103 patients with condyloma acuminatum treated at Wuhan No.1 Hospital from Jul.2023 to Jun.2024 were enrolled as the study group,and their wart tissues were collect-ed.Additionally,skin tissues from 50 healthy individuals undergoing physical examinations during the same peri-od were selected as the control group.The expression levels of miR-26a and TLR4 in both groups were measured and compared.HPV infection status in the study group was detected,clinicopathological characteristics of patients were collected and their relationship was analyzed.Based on high-risk HPV infection status,patients were divid-ed into a high-risk group(n=51)and a low-risk group(n=52).Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to evaluate the predictive value of miR-26a and TLR4 in wart tissues for high-risk HPV infection.RESULTS The levels of miR-26a and TLR4 in wart tissues of the study group were(2.21±0.64)and(11.41±2.23),respectively,significantly higher than those in the control group(1.31±0.43 and 7.16±2.11,respectinely)(P＜0.05).No statistically significant differences in the expression level of miR-26a and TLR4 were observed in the wart tissues from patients with condyloma acuminatum,regardless of genders,ages,lesion loca-tions or wart numbers;however,significant differences were found among those with different disease durations,wart sizes and high-risk HPV infection status(P＜0.05).ROC curve analysis revealed that the areas under the curve(AUC)for miR-26a,TLR4 and their combined detection were 0.762,0.743 and 0.905,respectively,indi-cating good predictive value for high-risk HPV infection in patients with condyloma acuminatum(P＜0.05).CONCLUSIONS Both miR-26a and TLR4 protein are abnormally expressed in condyloma acuminatum tissues and demonstrate good predictive potential for high-risk HPV infection,suggesting their utility as biological markers and therapeutic targets for condyloma acuminatum.

Astrocytes and microglia engage in extensive and complex communication and mutual effect, which referrs to microglia-astrocyte crosstalk. Recent studies have highlighted that this crosstalk plays a pivotal role in neurodegenerative diseases, exerting either protective or detrimental effects. This review briefly introduces the molecular mechanism of microglia-astrocyte crosstalk and its research progress in Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease, aiming to provide new research directions and therapeutic targets for clinical improvement of neurodegenerative diseases from perspective of microglia-astrocyte crosstalk.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are crucial for facilitating intercellular communication, promoting cell migration, and orchestrating the immune response. Recently, EVs can diagnose and treat tumors. EVs can be measured as biomarkers to provide information about the type of disease and therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, EVs with lower immunogenicity and better biocompatibility are natural carriers of chemicals and gene drugs. Herein, we review the molecular composition, biogenesis, and separation methods of EVs. We also highlight the important role of EVs from different origins as biomarkers and drug delivery systems in tumor therapy. Finally, we provide deep insights into how EVs play a role in reversing the immunosuppressive microenvironment.

Plant-derived extracellular vesicles (PDEVs), describe a group of nanoparticles released by plants. These particles are characterized by a lipid bilayer structure containing various proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and unique metabolites. Although the study on PDEVs is relatively new, having only been around for ten years, they have shown promising development prospects in both basic research and clinical transformation areas. Evidence suggests that PDEVs have excellent application prospects in regulating inflammation and treating tumors. Their distinctive, vesicle-mimicking architecture and stellar biocompatibility render them prime candidates for ferrying various anti-cancer agents, including RNA, proteins, and conventional chemotherapy drugs. Increasingly, studies have shown that PDEVs can be engineered as an innovative platform for combination cancer immunotherapy. Consequently, this paper provides an extensive summary of current developments in engineering methods and strategies for PDEVs in cancer treatment and combined cancer immune therapeutics. The essential characteristics of PDEVs, including the biogenesis process and components, as well as their anti-tumor activity and mechanism, are summarized. Finally, the in vivo safety of PDEVs as delivery vectors and the challenges of scale-up production and clinical transformation are discussed.

Objective:To investigate clinical features and non-invasive skin imaging findings of acquired facial hyperpigmented macules in children.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical characteristics of children with acquired facial hyperpigmented macules diagnosed in the Outpatient Department of Dermatology, Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January 2020 to June 2023. Reflectance confocal microscopy and dermoscopy were performed to observe lesions and perilesional normal skin, and the imaging findings were summarized.Results:A total of 131 children with acquired facial hyperpigmented macules were collected, including 88 males and 43 females; their ages ranged from 2 to 25 months, the age at onset was 11.50 ± 7.15 months, and the disease duration was 6.50 ± 4.66 months. The lesions were distributed in the temporal and/or frontal regions, mostly measuring 4 to 10 mm in length. They mainly manifested as non-confluent irregular brown or brownish-red hyperpigmented macules, without scales on the surface. The total number of lesions was less than 10 in 19 cases (14.50%), between 10 and 20 in 75 cases (57.25%), and more than 20 in 37 cases (28.24%). Reflectance confocal microscopy revealed no elongation of the rete ridges, but mild increased pigmentation in the basal layer, slight vascular dilatation in the dermal papilla and superficial dermis, and scattered melanophages and inflammatory cells infiltrating some lesions. Dermoscopy showed pigment networks with varying color darkness, which were distributed along the dermatoglyphs, and mixed with linear or punctate vessels.Conclusions:Acquired facial hyperpigmented macules is a common skin disease occurring in infants and young children, and is characterized by typical lesions by reflectance confocal microscopy and dermoscopy. Histopathological examination may be unnecessary for its diagnosis, and skin imaging techniques can help improve diagnostic accuracy.

Objective:To investigate the imaging characteristics of clear cell acanthoma (CCA) by dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) .Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 12 patients diagnosed with CCA through histopathological examination at the Department of Dermatology, Wuhan No.1 Hospital, from 2020 to 2024. Dermoscopic and RCM features of these cases were summarized.Results:Among the 12 CCA patients, 3 were males and 9 were females, and they were aged 50.08 ± 10.43 years. Clinically, CCA lesions were typically presented as red or brown papules or nodules with well-defined borders, ranging in diameter from 3 mm to 2 cm. Histopathological examination showed that the tumor manifested as psoriasiform or papillary hyperplasia with a thickened spinous layer and a distinct boundary surrounded by the normal skin; proliferating cells were larger with lightly stained cytoplasm; neutrophil infiltration was observed in the epidermis, and vascular dilation was observed in the dermal papillae and superficial dermis; periodic acid-Schiff staining revealed abundant glycogen in the cells. In 10 patients examined by dermoscopy, dotted, globular, or glomerular vessels were arranged in a beaded pattern in all the 10 patients, and collar-like scales were seen at the edges of the lesions in 6 patients. In 6 patients examined by RCM, RCM images all revealed epidermal hyperplasia, thickened spinous layers, large keratinocytes with enlarged nuclei and abundant cytoplasm that blended in with the intercellular demarcations, disordered honeycomb structure of the epidermis, and dilation and up-thrust of blood vessels in the dermal papillae and superficial dermis; segmented cell infiltration was observed in the epidermis of 4 patients. As measured, the longest diameters of cells in the upper part of the CCA spinous layer ranged from 30.25 μm to 35.13 μm; the longest diameters of spinous layer cells at the CCA follicles (19.39 ± 2.93 μm) were significantly lower than those of the surrounding spinous layer cells (30.95 ± 5.66 μm, t = 5.73, P < 0.001) . Conclusions:CCA presents a distinctive vascular pattern on dermoscopy, and the majority of histological features can be visualized by RCM. Dermoscopy and RCM can be relatively reliable auxiliary diagnostic methods for CCA.