Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological features and differential diagnosis of eosinophilic vacuolated tumor (EVT).Methods:Seven cases of EVT with characteristic morphology and unequivocal diagnosis from the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University (6 cases), Qingdao, China and the 971 Hospital of PLA Navy (1 case), Qingdao, China between January 2010 and December 2021 were subject to morphological and immunohistochemical analyses. Additionally, whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed in two cases. Twenty-two cases of renal oncocytoma (RO) and 17 cases of eosinophilic chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (eChRCC) diagnosed at the same time were used as controls.Results:Four males and three females with a mean age of 42 years (range: 29-61 years) were included in the study. The tumors were nodular and well-circumscribed, with sizes ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 cm. On cross-section, they appeared gray-red or gray-white, solid, and soft. Tumor cells were arranged in nests, solid sheets, and acinar or small vesicular structures. These cells exhibited eosinophilic cytoplasm with large, prominent clear vacuoles and round nuclei with prominent nucleoli. Perinuclear halos were focally present in four cases, while small tumor cells with sparse cytoplasm and hyperchromatic nuclei were seen in one case. No necrosis or mitosis was noted. Edematous stroma was detected in three cases. All tumors were positive for CD117 and Cathepsin K, but negative for vimentin and CK7. CK20 was positive in scattered individual cells, and Ki-67 positivity ranged from 1% to 4%. Point mutations in MTOR were identified in both patients who were subject to the molecular analysis. Statistical differences in the expression of Cathepsin K, CD10, S-100A1, and Cyclin D1 between EVT and RO ( P<0.05) were significant, so were the differences in the expression of Cathepsin K, CD10, CK7 and claudin 7 between EVT and eChRCC ( P<0.001). Seven patients were followed up for 4 to 96 months (mean, 50 months), with no recurrences or metastases. Conclusions:EVT is a rare renal tumor that shares morphological and immunophenotypic features with RO and eChRCC, and it is closely linked to the TSC/MTOR pathway. The presence of large prominent transparent vacuoles in eosinophilic cytoplasm along with conspicuous nucleoli is its key morphological characteristics. The use of combined immunohistochemical stains greatly aids in its diagnosis. Typically, the tumor exhibits indolent biological behaviors with a favorable prognosis.

The development of longitudinal cohorts has made the identification and surveillance of multiple biological markers and behavioral factors which influence disease course or health status become possible. However, traditional statistical methods typically use univariate longitudinal data for research, failing to fully exploit the information from multivariate longitudinal data. The group-based multi-trajectory model (GBMTM) emerged as a method to study the developmental trajectory of multivariate data in recent years. GBMTM has distinct advantages in analyzing multivariate longitudinal data by identifying potential subgroups of populations following similar trajectories by multiple indicators that influence the outcome of interest. In this study, we introduced the application of GBMTM by explaining the fundamental principles and using the data from a health management study in the elderly by using smart wearing equipment to investigate the relationship between multiple life-related variables and hypertension to promote the wider use of GBMTM in longitudinal cohort studies.

Objective To investigate the correlation between Yes-associated protein(YAP)nuclear expression and tumor size with prognosis of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC)and to study the role of YAP in EOC.Methods 120 patients with EOC were selected as the experimental group,including 38 patients with early stage(Ⅰ+Ⅱ)EOC and 8 2 patients with advanced stage(Ⅲ+Ⅳ)EOC.3 0 normal ovarian tissues obtained from patients with uterine leiomyoma were enrolled as the control group.Immunohistochemical(IHC)assay was em-ployed to determine YAP expression and sub-location.The relationship between YAP expression and the pathologi-cal parameters of the 120 patients with EOC was analyzed,so as to the prognosis of these patients.EOC cells(C13K and OV2008)were cultured with varying initial cell volumes.Ki67 expression and cell proliferation were tested by immunofluorescence and cloning assay respectively.YAP expression at mRNA and protein levels were de-tected by q-PCR and Western blot respectively when the cell conference of EOC cells reached to low(60％)and high(90％)cell density.Results The YAP nuclear expression was significantly higher in the EOC group com-pared to the control group(P＜0.05).The average diameter of stage Ⅰ+Ⅱ EOC was larger than that of stage Ⅲ+Ⅳ EOC(P＜0.01).The high nuclear expression of YAP was positively associated with pathological grade,clinical stage and the level of Ca125＞1 000 IU/ml,while negatively correlated with tumor size(all P＜0.05).Survival analyses showed that smaller tumor size(＜10 cm)and higher YAP nuclear expression were negatively as-sociated with the 3-year overall survival rate of EOC patients(P＜0.01).C13K and OV2008 cells cultured in the low density group exhibited a high number of clone formation,high Ki67 and YAP expression(P＜0.01).The down-regulation of YAP expression could decrease the cell viability of EOC cells in the low-and high-density groups(P＜0.05).Conclusion Higher level of YAP nuclear expression and smaller tumour size are inversely associated with the clinical prognosis of patients with EOC.Inhibiting YAP nuclear expression leads to a decrease in the prolif-eration capacity of EOC cells.

Objective To explore the influence of IL-6 secreted by cancer-associated fibroblasts(CAFs)on pro-moting the proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer cells and the possible mechanisms.Methods CAFs and normal ovarian fibroblasts(NFs)were isolated and cultured respectively from epithelial ovarian cancer and normal ovarian epithelial tissues.Cell markers alpha-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),E-cadherin were detected by West-ern blot and immunofluorescence.CAFs and normal ovarian fibroblasts(NFs)were collected and cultured,and their supernatants were used to establish an indirect co-culture system with ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells,including SKOV3 cells alone(SKOV3)group,SKOV3 combined with the supernatants of NFs(NFs)group and SKOV3 combined with the supernatants of CAFs(CAFs)group.Cell immunochemistry was used to detect the expression of alcohol dehydrogenase 1B(ADH1B)in SKOV3 cells co-cultured with the supernatant of CAFs or NFs.Before and after treatment with the methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine(5-Aza-dC),methylation-specific PCR(MSP),Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR(RT-qPCR),enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA level and methylation status of ADH1B,and the phos-phorylation level of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3(p-STAT3).The cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)method and Transwell assay were used to investigate the effects of the IL-6 inhibitor LMT-286 and recombinant human interleukin-6(rhIL-6)on cell proliferation and invasion.Results The protein levels of α-SMA was highly expressed,however,CAFs and NFs cells almost lacked the E-cadherin protein.Compared with the SKOV3 and NFs groups,CAFs group exhibited significantly downregulated mRNA and protein expression of ADH1B.After treatment with 5-Aza-dC,ADH1B methylation was partially reversed,and the mRNA and protein expression of ADH1B increased in all groups.The phosphorylation level of STAT3 proteins was significantly reduced in CAFs group,while there were no significant changes in SKOV3 and NFs groups.Intervention with LMT-286 and rhIL-6 only inhibited or promoted the proliferation and invasion of cells in CAFs group,while there were no significant changes in SKOV3 and NFs groups.Conclusion CAFs can enhance the methylation of ADH1B in ovarian cancer cells via IL-6/STAT3 pathway,and may promote the proliferation and invasion.

Background::Total human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) DNA and integrated HIV DNA are widely used markers of HIV persistence. Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) can be used for absolute quantification without needing a standard curve. Here, we developed duplex ddPCR assays to detect and quantify total HIV DNA and integrated HIV DNA.Methods::The limit of detection, dynamic ranges, sensitivity, and reproducibility were evaluated by plasmid constructs containing both the HIV long terminal repeat (LTR) and human CD3 gene (for total HIV DNA) and ACH-2 cells (for integrated HIV DNA). Forty-two cases on stable suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) were assayed in total HIV DNA and integrated HIV DNA. Correlation coefficient analysis was performed on the data related to DNA copies and cluster of differentiation 4 positive (CD4 +) T-cell counts, CD8 + T-cell counts and CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio, respectively. The assay linear dynamic range and lower limit of detection (LLOD) were also assessed. Results::The assay could detect the presence of HIV-1 copies 100% at concentrations of 6.3 copies/reaction, and the estimated LLOD of the ddPCR assay was 4.4 HIV DNA copies/reaction (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 3.6-6.5 copies/reaction) with linearity over a 5-log 10-unit range in total HIV DNA assay. For the integrated HIV DNA assay, the LLOD was 8.0 copies/reaction (95% CI: 5.8-16.6 copies/reaction) with linearity over a 3-log 10-unit range. Total HIV DNA in CD4 + T cells was positively associated with integrated HIV DNA ( r = 0.76, P <0.0001). Meanwhile, both total HIV DNA and integrated HIV DNA in CD4 + T cells were inversely correlated with the ratio of CD4/CD8 but positively correlated with the CD8 + T-cell counts. Conclusions::This ddPCR assay can quantify total HIV DNA and integrated HIV DNA efficiently with robustness and sensitivity. It can be readily adapted for measuring HIV DNA with non-B clades, and it could be beneficial for testing in clinical trials.

Objective To investigate the effects of Anmian Dan on neurotransmitters in the brain of model rats,which were sleep deprived by multi-platform water environment.Methods Fifty SD rats were randomly and evenly divided into 5 groups with 10 rats in each group,which were blank control group(Control group),Model group(Model group),Estazolam group(Estazolam group),low dose group(AMD-L group)and high dose group(AMD-H group).The rats were subjected to sleep deprivation in a multi-platform water environment for 20 hours per day for 21 days.The movement distance and movement time of rats at different time points were recorded by autonomous activity analyzer to evaluate the changes of autonomous activity.The contents of glutamic acid(Glu)and gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA)were detected by ELISA,and the mRNA expression levels of NDRG2,GLT-1,GAD65 and GAD67 were detected by Real-time PCR.Western blot was used to detect the expressions of NDRG2,p-PI3K,p-Akt,GLT-1,GAD65 and GAD67.Results The Model group was more active than the Control group,and the concentration of GABA in the cortex of the Model group was decreased and the concentration of Glu was increased.The mrna and protein expression levels of NDRG2 in Model group were higher than those in Control group(P<0.01),but the mrna and protein expression levels of GLT-1,GAD65 and GAD67 in model group were lower than those in Control group(P<0.01).The protein expression levels of P-PI3K and P-AKT in the cortex of model group were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Compared with Model group,Anmeidan could reduce the autonomic activity of sleep deprived rats,increase the concentration of GABA,decrease the concentration of Glu in cortex(P<0.05),and increase the mrna relative expression levels and protein expression levels of GLT-1,GAD65 and GAD67(P<0.05).The expression levels of P-PI3K and P-Akt were increased(P<0.01),and mrna and protein expression levels of NDRG2 were decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion Anmian Dan may regulate the activity of astrocytes and affect the levels of neurotransmitters GABA and GLU in the brain through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway,thus playing a role in improving the circadian rhythm disturbance in sleep-deprived rats.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Anmeidan on the sleep quality and serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）， glial fibrillary acidic protein （GFAP）， and irisin in the patients with chronic insomnia. MethodA multicenter， randomized， double-blind， placebo-controlled clinical study was carried out， including 480 patients with chronic insomnia （deficiency syndrome） in Wuhan （Hubei）， Guangzhou （Guangdong）， and Lanzhou （Gansu）. They were randomized into an observation group and a control group at a ratio of 1∶1. The observation group was orally administered with Anmeidan granules at a dose of 11 g， 3 times per day， and the control group with Anmeidan simulant at a dose of 11 g， 3 times per day， Both groups of patients received sleep education after enrollment. After 4 weeks of medication， the Athens insomnia scale （AIS） scores， Spiegel scale scores， and serum levels of BDNF， GFAP， and irisin were compared between the two groups as well as between before and after treatment. ResultA total of 480 adult patients with chronic insomnia were enrolled in this study， with 64 patients falled off. Finally， the 415 patients were included in the analysis， including 213 patients in the observation group and 202 patients in the control group. There was no difference in age or sex between the two groups of patients. Compared with before treatment， the treatment in both groups decreased the AIS and Spiegel scores （P<0.01）. After treatment， the observation group had lower AIS and Spiegel scores than the control group （P<0.01）. The treatment in the observation group slightly lowered the level of BDNF， elevated the level of irisin （P<0.05）， and lowered the level of GFAP （P<0.05） in the serum. After treatment， the observation group showed higher level of irisin （P<0.05） and lower levels of BDNF and GFAP in the serum than the control group. ConclusionAnmeidan may improve the sleep quality of patients with chronic insomnia by elevating the irisin level and lowering the GFAP level in the serum.

Cystatin, a cysteine protease inhibitor found in many parasites, plays important roles in immune evasion. This study analyzed the molecular characteristics of a cystatin from Fasciola hepatica (FhCystatin) and expressed recombinant FhCystatin (rFhcystatin) to investigate the immune modulatory effects on lipopolysaccharide-induced proliferation, migration, cytokine secretion, nitric oxide (NO) production, and apoptosis in mouse macrophages. The FhCystatin gene encoded 116 amino acids and contained a conserved cystatin-like domain. rFhCystatin significantly inhibited the activity of cathepsin B. rFhCystatin bound to the surface of mouse RAW264.7 cells, significantly inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. Moreover, rFhCystatin inhibited the expression of cellular nitric oxide, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, and promoted the expression of transforming growth factor-β and interleukin-10. These results showed that FhCystatin played an important role in regulating the activity of mouse macrophages. Our findings provide new insights into mechanisms underlying the immune evasion and contribute to the exploration of potential targets for the development of new drug to control F. hepatica infection.

Objective:To understand the dynamics of circulating Tfh (cTfh) and B cells, and their relationship in individuals with acute (AHI) and chronic HIV infection (CHI).Methods:HIV infected subjects and HIV negative healthy controllers (HC) were enrolled from the men who have sex with men(MSM) high-risk cohort at Beijing Youan hospital. Multicolor flow cytometry was used for the frequency and absolute number analysis of cTfh cell and B-cell subsets with AHI, CHI, and HC.Results:Compared to HC, AHI resulted in an increase in cTfh cell levels and persisted into CHI, however, there was no significant difference between AHI and CHI (AHI vs HC: 2.09±1.48 vs 0.26±0.38, t=5.25, P<0.001; CHI vs HC: 2.26±1.35 vs 0.26±0.38, t=6.25, P<0.001; AHI vs CHI: 2.09±1.48 vs 2.26±1.35, t=0.40, P=0.449). Among B cell subsets, activated memory (AM), tissue-like memory (TLM), and plasmablast (PB) cell levels increased [AM(AHI vs HC: 3.59±1.77 vs 0.83±0.44, t=6.65, P<0.001; CHI vs HC: 3.99±2.49 vs 0.83±0.44, t=5.46, P<0.001); TLM(AHI vs HC: 11.05±4.96 vs 1.30±0.93, t=8.45, P<0.001; CHI vs HC: 13.91±6.59 vs 1.30±0.93, t=8.28, P<0.001); PB( AHI vs HC: 3.01±2.50 vs 0.43±0.26, t=4.47, P<0.001; CHI vs HC: 1.88±1.57 vs 0.43±0.26, t=3.97, P<0.001)], whereas resting memory (RM) and na?ve mature (NM) cell levels decreased in both AHI and CHI [RM(AHI vs HC: 20.06±9.74 vs 25.43±10.91, t=1.70, P=0.040; CHI vs HC: 15.70±8.47 vs 25.43±10.91, t=3.29, P=0.003); NM(AHI vs HC: 55.71±13.88 vs 66.26±11.71, t=2.90, P=0.004; CHI vs HC: 58.33±14.47 vs 66.26±11.71, t=1.94, P=0.006)]. The levels of cTfh cells were positively correlated with those of AM ( r=0.67, P<0.001), classical memory (CM) ( r=0.59, P=0.001), RM ( r=0.47, P=0.010), and PB ( r=0.65, P<0.001), and negatively correlated with those of NM B cells in AHI ( r=-0.55, P=0.003). However, cTfh cells did not show any relationship with B cell subsets except for the positive correlation with PB ( r=0.56, P=0.003) in CHI. Conclusions:HIV infection drives the expansion of cTfh cells, which may in turn leads to perturbations of B cell differentiation during AHI stage.

OBJECTIVE：To optim ize the ultrafiltration technology of enzymatic hydrolysate from Eucommia ulmoides peel. METHODS：The single factor test was adopted to investigate the effects of molecular weight of ultrafiltration membrane ，liquid temperature，operating pressure ，operating frequency ，membrane filtration time ，liquid concentration and pH on transfer rates of aucubin，geniposide and chlorogenic acid as well as solid removal rate in enzymatic hydrolysate from E. ulmoides peel. Setting the molecular cut off of fixed ultrafiltration membrane of 100 000，liquid concentration of 7 g/L，and pH value of 7，the ultrafiltration technology was optimized by Box-Behnken design response-surface methodology and validated with liquid temperature ，operating pressure，operating frequency and membrane passing time as factors ，using comprehensive scores calculated from transfer rates of aucubin，geniposide and chlorogenic acid as well as solid removal rate as indexes. RESULTS ：The optimal ultrafiltration technology of enzymatic hydrolysate from E. ulmoides peel was as follows as liquid temperature of 35 ℃，operating pressure of 0.5 MPa，operating frequency of 35 Hz and membrane passing time of 42 min. Results of validation tests showed that the comprehensive scores of the transfer rates of aucubin ，geniposide and chlorogenic acid as well as solid removal rate in enzymatic hydrolysate from E. ulmoides peel was 78.06％（RSD＝1.43％，n＝3），and its relative error with the predicted value （77.18％） was 1.14％. CONCLUSIONS ：The optimized ultrafiltration technology is stable and reliable ，and can be used for the ultrafiltration purification of enzymatic hydrolysate from E. ulmoides peel.