ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the effect of Dictamni Cortex on intestinal barrier damage in rats and its mechanism by untargeted metabolomics and targeted metabolomics for short-chain fatty acids （SCFAs）. MethodsRats were randomly divided into a control group， a high-dose group of Dictamni Cortex （8.1 g·kg^-1）， a medium-dose group （2.7 g·kg^-1）， and a low-dose group （0.9 g·kg^-1）. Except for the control group， the other groups were administered different doses of Dictamni Cortex by gavage for eight consecutive weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the ileal tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to detect the level of cytokines， including tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， in the ileal tissue of rats. Quantitative real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） technology was used to detect the expression level of tight junction proteins， including zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1）， Occludin， and Claudin-1 mRNAs， in the ileal tissue of rats to preliminarily explore the effects of Dictamni Cortex on intestinal damage. The dose with the most significant toxic phenotype was selected to further reveal the effects of Dictamni Cortex on the metabolic profile of ileal tissue in rats by non-targeted metabolomics combined with targeted metabolomics for SCFAs. ResultsCompared with the control group， all doses of Dictamni Cortex induced varying degrees of pathological damage in the ileum， increased TNF-α （P<0.01）， IL-6 （P<0.01）， and IL-1β （P<0.01） levels in the ileal tissue， and decreased the expression level of ZO-1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， Occludin （P<0.01）， and Claudin-1 （P<0.05） in the ileal tissue， with the high-dose group showing the most significant toxic phenotypes. The damage mechanisms of the high-dose group of Dictamni Cortex on the ileal tissue were further explored by integrating non-targeted metabolomics and targeted metabolomics for SCFAs. The non-targeted metabolomics results showed that 21 differential metabolites were identified in the control group and the high-dose group. Compared with that in the control group， after Dictamni Cortex intervention， the level of 14 metabolites was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the level of seven metabolites was significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01） in the ileal contents. These metabolites collectively acted on 10 related metabolic pathways， including glycerophospholipids and primary bile acid biosynthesis. The quantitative data of targeted metabolomics for SCFAs showed that Dictamni Cortex intervention disrupted the level of propionic acid， butyric acid， acetic acid， caproic acid， isobutyric acid， isovaleric acid， valeric acid， and isocaproic acid in the ileal contents of rats. Compared with those in the control group， the level of isobutyric acid， isovaleric acid， and valeric acid were significantly increased， while the level of propionic acid， butyric acid， and acetic acid were significantly decreased in the ileal contents of rats after Dictamni Cortex intervention （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionDictamni Cortex can induce intestinal damage by regulating glycerophospholipid metabolism， primary bile acid biosynthesis， and metabolic pathways for SCFAs.

Objective:To investigate the association between frailty and prognosis of elderly patients in the emergency department, and to validate frailty screening tools suitable for the emergency department.Methods:This was a prospective cohort study. Clinical data of elderly patients over 60 years old treated in the emergency department of Beijing Bo'Ai Hospital from January to December 2021 were collected. The Frailty Screening Questionnaire (FSQ), FRAIL Scale (FRAIL) and Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) were used to score patients, and patients were divided into frail or non-frail group according to the criteria of the above three scales. Twelve-month all-cause mortality was the primary endpoint, dependence and re-admission to the emergency department within 12 months were secondary outcomes. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the ability of the FSQ, FRAIL and CFS scores to predict the primary and secondary endpoints, and the areas under the curve (AUC) were calculated and compared. Survival analysis was performed using Cox hazard proportional regression model, and relative risk was expressed as hazard ratio ( HR) and 95% CI. Results:A total of 406 patients were included in the study. The AUCs (95% CI) of FSQ, FRAIL and CFS scores for predicting 12-month all-cause mortality were 0.879 (0.844-0.909), 0.838 (0.798-0.872), 0.906 (0.873-0.933), respectively (all P<0.001). The AUCs of 3 scores for predicting secondary endpoints ranged from 0.820 to 0.889 (all P<0.001). Pairwise comparisons of the AUCs showed that the CFS was superior to one or both of the other frailty screening scales in predicting 12-month all-cause mortality and dependence except for re-admission to emergency room within 12 months after discharge (all P<0.05). Cox regression analysis revealed that, after adjusting for sex, age, body mass index and comorbidities, frailty as defined by the FSQ, FRAIL, and CFS scales was independently associated with 12-month all-cause mortality, with the HRadj of 3.267 (95% CI: 2.406-4.435), 2.465 (95% CI: 1.819-3.341), 3.523 (95% CI: 2.648-4.687), respectively (all P<0.001). Conclusions:FSQ, FRAIL and CFS scores can predict adverse outcomes, the CFS is a practical frailty screening tool in the emergency department, and frailty screening can improve the risk stratification of older patients.

The correlations of global/local properties of brain networks with gambling behavioral scales in depression are explored.The task-state brain functional magnetic resonance imaging data of 24 patients with gambling behavior and depression and 24 healthy controls are analyzed,and preprocessed by SPM software.Graph theory analysis method is used to establish the functional brain networks in which local and global properties are calculated.Two sets of local attribute index including node degree and node efficiency are used to make edge analysis in different depression groups(major,moderate and mild depression groups,with 8 patients in each group)and healthy control group,and the changes in global properties are also discussed.Additionally,the correlations of scoring scale related to gambling behavior with 3 criteria on the global properties(small world attribute,global efficiency and local efficiency)are analyzed.The two-sample t-tests on depression groups and healthy control group confirm the significant connections among brain regions(P＜0.05),and reveal the significant negative correlations between the global brain network attribute indexes and different behavioral scales,which fully verifies the correlation between gambling behavior and depression,and provides the basis for further exploring correlation between the individual behavior attribute and depression,thereby assisting clinical diagnosis and treatment of depression patients.

Objective:To analyze the clinical and pathological data of 15 patients with light chain amyloidosis initially diagnosed with other kidney diseases, and identify possible misdiagnosis reasons.Methods:It was a retrospective observational study. The clinical and pathological data of 15 patients, whose initial kidney biopsies failed to diagnose light chain-amyloidosis but were confirmed by a subsequent kidney biopsy or pathology consultation at Peking University First Hospital from January 2010 to December 2022 were collected. The results of immunofluorescence, Congo red staining, and electron microscopy of two renal biopsies were analyzed.Results:The median age of 15 patients was 56 years old, with a male-to-female ratio of 7∶8. The main clinical manifestation was massive proteinuria with normal kidney function, and there were 10 cases presenting as nephrotic syndrome. The initial diagnosis based on the first kidney biopsy included minimal change disease (8 cases), IgA nephropathy (3 cases), membranous nephropathy (3 cases), and type Ⅲ collagen glomerulonephritis (1 case). M proteinemia was not evaluated in 13 patients during the first kidney biopsy. Light chain immunofluorescence staining was not performed in 12 cases. Congo red staining was not performed in 13 cases. All fifteen patients received glucocorticoids combined with immunosuppressive therapy after their initial diagnosis, and 5 patients developed severe infection. After 12.0 (7.5, 20.0) months of treatment, none of them achieved clinical remission. Thirteen had evidences for M protein before the second kidney biopsy. The renal tissues of all patients underwent immunofluorescence light chain examination, Congo red staining, and immunoelectron microscopy examination when necessary. The repeat kidney biopsies of 14 cases and pathology consultation of one case consistently indicated light chain-amyloidosis. The kidney tissues in 13 cases were confirmed to be light chain restricted, 11 cases by immunofluorescence, and 2 cases by immune electron microscopy. After diagnosis of light chain-amyloidosis, all patients received targeted plasma cell therapy except for 1 patient lost to follow-up, 6 patients achieved hematologic remission, 5 patients achieved renal remission, 1 patient entered end-stage renal disease, and 3 patients died.Conclusions:In middle and elderly-aged patients with nephrotic syndrome, if conventional immunosuppressive therapy yields unsatisfactory results, it is crucial to focus on identifying evidences of monoclonal immunoglobulinemia, if necessary, kidney biopsy should be actively repeated. Kidney biopsy pathology should include comprehensive examinations such as light chain immunofluorescence, Congo red staining, and electron microscopy to avoid misdiagnosis of light chain-amyloidosis.

Objective:To compare the characteristics of corneal stromal demarcation line after different surgical methods of riboflavin/ultraviolet A corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) in early keratoconus, and analyze the influence of the demarcation line on the cross-linking effect.Methods:A non-randomized controlled clinical study was conducted.Sixty-nine eyes of 69 patients treated with riboflavin/ultraviolet A CXL in the Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University from May 2019 to February 2021 were included.According to the cross-linking methods, the patients were divided into epithelium-on treatment group (21 eyes) and epithelium-off treatment group (48 eyes). There were 25 eyes in 5.4 J energy group and 44 eyes in 7.2 J energy group.The morphology and changes of corneal stromal cross-linking reaction (corneal stromal demarcation line) were observed at 2 weeks, 1, 3 and 4 months after operation.Changes in the thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA, LogMAR), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA, LogMAR) and corneal maximum curvature (Kmax) were recorded.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University (No.2019.05). Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Results:Of the 69 eyes after operation, 44 eyes (63.77%) had demarcation lines, and 25 eyes (36.23%) had no demarcation lines.The occurrence rate of demarcation lines in the epithelium-on treatment group was 79.17%(38/48), which was significantly higher than 28.57%(6/21) in the epithelium-off treatment group ( χ2=16.186, P<0.01). The occurrence rate of demarcation line in 5.4 J energy group was 72.00%(18/25), and the 7.2 J energy group was 56.80%(25/44), with no significant difference ( χ2=1.565, P=0.302). Slit lamp microscopy and anterior segment-optical coherence tomography showed that the demarcation line appeared at 1-2 weeks after operation, gradually converged and strengthened after 1 month, turned diffuse, blurred and faded by degrees after 2-3 months, and basically disappeared after 4 months.The depth of the demarcation line reached 141-423 μm, with an average depth of (263.44±84.22)μm.Scanning laser confocal microscopy showed that corneal stromal cells were activated and light reflection was enhanced after CXL.Collagen fibers extended vertically and horizontally, crisscrossed, and were in a reticular arrangement.The TCT decreased from preoperative (458.69±38.28)μm to (443.86±36.54)μm at 4 months after operation, showing a statistically significant difference ( t=6.705, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the TCT reduction between groups with and without demarcation lines ( t=1.684, P=0.100). At 4 months postoperatively, the UCVA of all eyes increased from preoperative 0.74±0.37 to 0.69±0.38, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=2.109, P=0.039). There was no significant difference in BCVA between before and after operation ( t=1.006, P=0.319). There was no significant difference in change of UCVA and BCVA between groups with and without demarcation lines ( t=0.065, P=0.949; t=0.346, P=0.730). There was no significant difference in Kmax in all patients between before and after operation ( t=0.050, P=0.950). There was no significant difference in the Kmax change between groups with and without demarcation lines ( t=-0.739, P=0.464). The change in TCT in the epithelium-off treatment group was significantly greater than that in the epithelium-on treatment group ( t=2.815, P=0.008). There was no significant difference in UCVA, BCVA and Kmax changes between epithelium-on and epithelium-off treatment groups (all at P>0.05). There was no obvious corneal scarring, infectious keratitis, corneal endothelial decompensation or other complications. Conclusions:The demarcation line after CXL may be a sign of the depth of cross-linking reaction, which is more prone to occur after the epithelium-off operation method.Both the epithelium-on and epithelium-off operation methods have similar therapeutic effects.Demarcation line after different cross-linking methods has no significant influence on the cross-linking effect in keratoconus.

Intensive cancer treatment with drug combination is widely exploited in the clinic but suffers from inconsistent pharmacokinetics among different therapeutic agents.To overcome it,the emerging nanomedicine offers an unparalleled opportunity for encapsulating multiple drugs in a nano-carrier.Herein,a two-step super-assembled strategy was performed to unify the pharmacokinetics of a pep-tide and a small molecular compound.In this proof-of-concept study,the bioinformatics analysis firstly revealed the potential synergies towards hepatoma therapy for the associative inhibition of exportin 1(XPO1)and ataxia telangiectasia mutated-Rad3-related(ATR),and then a super-assembled nano-pill(gold nano drug carrier loaded AZD6738 and 97-110 amino acids of apoptin(AP)(AA@G))was con-structed through camouflaging AZD6738(ATR small-molecule inhibitor)-binding human serum albumin onto the AP-Au supramolecular nanoparticle.As expected,both in vitro and in vivo experiment results verified that the AA@G possessed extraordinary biocompatibility and enhanced therapeutic effect through inducing cell cycle arrest,promoting DNA damage and inhibiting DNA repair of hepatoma cell.This work not only provides a co-delivery strategy for intensive liver cancer treatment with the clinical translational potential,but develops a common approach to unify the pharmacokinetics of peptide and small-molecular compounds,thereby extending the scope of drugs for developing the advanced com-bination therapy.

The paper reports a case of coenzyme Q10 deficiency nephrotic syndrome associated with coenzyme Q2 gene mutation and reviews the literature on this topic. The patient presented with hematuria, proteinuria, and a diminution of vision as clinical manifestations. But the proteinuria was not relieved after sufficient doses of glucocorticoids for over 2 months. The patient′s birth history was unremarkable, and his parents were both healthy and not consanguineous. Whole exome sequencing revealed that the patient had a mutation of coenzyme Q2 gene at c.973A>G(p.T325A) and c.517C>T(p.R173C). Combined with renal biopsy pathology, the patient was diagnosed with hereditary nephropathy and started the supplements of coenzyme Q10 after stopping glucocorticoid treatments immediately. After 5 weeks of therapy, the patient′s 24-h urine protein quantification decreased from 6.01 g to 1.53 g.

Objective:To investigate the urinary sediment findings and the clinicopathologic features of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients with acute kidney injury (AKI).Methods:It was a retrospective study. The patients with renal biopsy-proven primary IgAN in Peking University First Hospital from January 31, 2013 to July 31, 2015 were selected. According to whether AKI occurred at renal biopsy or not, the patients were divided into AKI group and non-AKI group. Morning urine samples were obtained on the day of renal biopsy. Urine sediments, including various cells and casts, were examined. The clinical data, urinary sediments, and renal pathological changes were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the association between clinical pathological changes, urinary sediment indicators and AKI, or clinical pathological changes and urinary sediment indicators.Results:There were 502 IgAN patients enrolled in this study, with age of (36.1±12.1) years old and 261 males (52.0%). The incidence of AKI was 11.4% (57/502) among the enrolled patients at the time of renal biopsy. Common causes of AKI included gross hematuria-induced AKI (10 cases), acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (10 cases), crescentic IgAN (9 cases), malignant hypertensive renal damage (6 cases), and multiple etioloqy or unknown etiology (22 cases). Compared with non-AKI group, AKI group had higher proportions of males and malignant hypertension, higher levels of proteinuria and urinary erythrocyte counts, and higher frequencies of gross hematuria, leukocyturia, renal tubular epithelial cells, and granular casts (all P<0.05). AKI group also had higher proportions of severe tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis (T2) and cellular/cellular fibrous crescent formation (C2) than non-AKI group (both P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis results showed that, there were statistically significant differences in the correlation between AKI and gender, 24 h urinary protein, urinary erythrocyte counts, granular casts and renal tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis (T) scores (all P<0.05). Hematuria, leukocyturia, red blood cell casts, white blood cell casts, granular casts, and fatty casts were correlated with endothelial hypercellularity (E) and cellular/cellular fibrous crescent formation (C) scores, respectively (all P<0.05). Hematuria was correlated with mesangial hypercellularity (M) scores ( OR=2.613, 95% CI 1.520-4.493, P=0.001). Hematuria ( OR=1.723, 95% CI 1.017-2.919, P=0.043) and fatty casts ( OR=2.646, 95% CI 1.122-6.238, P=0.026) were correlated with segmental sclerosis or adhesion (S) scores. Leukocyturia ( OR=1.645, 95% CI 1.154-2.347, P=0.006) and fatty casts ( OR=2.344, 95% CI 1.202-4.572, P=0.012) were correlated with T scores. Epithelial cell cast was correlated with C scores ( OR=1.857, 95% CI 1.174-2.939, P=0.008). Conclusions:AKI is a common complication among IgAN patients with diverse etiology and more severe clinicopathological features. Urinary sediment findings can reflect renal pathological changes to some extent, and therefore assist in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of IgAN patients with AKI.

Humans ; Diabetic Nephropathies/pathology* ; Kidney/pathology* ; Biopsy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/pathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Disease Progression