OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of Tripterygium wilfordii multiglycoside (TGW) in the treatment of psoriatic dermatitis from a cellular immunological perspective. METHODS: Mouse models of psoriatic dermatitis were established by imiquimod (IMQ). Twelve male BALB/c mice were assigned to IMQ or IMQ₊TGW groups according to a random number table. Histopathological changes in vivo were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Ratios of immune cells and cytokines in mice, as well as PAM212 cell proliferation in vitro were assessed by flow cytometry. Pro-inflammatory cytokine expression was determined using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: TGW significantly ameliorated the severity of IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mouse skin lesions and restrained the activation of CD45⁺ cells, neutrophils and T lymphocytes (all P<0.01). Moreover, TGW significantly attenuated keratinocytes (KCs) proliferation and downregulated the mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-23, tumor necrosis factor α, and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Furthermore, it reduced the number of γ δ T17 cells in skin lesion of mice and draining lymph nodes (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS TGW improved psoriasis-like inflammation by inhibiting KCs proliferation, as well as the associated immune cells and cytokine expression. It inhibited IL-17 secretion from γ δ T cells, which improved the immune-inflammatory microenvironment of psoriasis.
Male ; Animals ; Mice ; Tripterygium ; Psoriasis/drug therapy* ; Keratinocytes ; Skin Diseases/metabolism* ; Cytokines/metabolism* ; Imiquimod/metabolism* ; Dermatitis/pathology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Skin/metabolism*

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of hand-foot-mouth disease(HFMD)in Gan-zhou.Methods The epidemiological data of HFMD reported by the Infectious Disease Surveillance System,a sub-system of China Disease Prevention and Control Information System,from 2017 to 2020 were analyzed by descriptive methods.Enterovirus(EV)nucleic acid and typing detections via throat swabs,anal swabs or herpes fluid of patients was detected by real-time fluo-rescent polymerase chain reaction.The change in HFMD epidemic characteristics was compared between 2020 and 2017-2019.Results The incidence of HFMD in Ganzhou in 2020 was significantly lower than that from 2017 to 2019(x2=50.587,P＜0.05).In 2020,the incidence of HFMD in counties and districts of Ganzhou(except Huichang County)signifi-cantly decreased compared with that in 2017-2019(P＜0.05).From 2017 to 2019,the incidence of HFMD was obviously seasonal,with a high incidence in summer and autumn,and two significant incidence peaks were formed in June and September in 2017 and 2018,respectively.In 2019,there was a summer peak in June.The epidemic trend in 2020 was different,with a very low epidemic trend in summer and autumn,and a peak in winter.The incidence of HFMD in men,women and all ages in 2020 significantly decreased compared with that in 2017-2019(P＜0.05),and the age of onset was mainly distributed in 1-5 years,especially in children aged 1 to 3 years.There was a significant difference in the incidence of HFMD among different ages(P＜0.05).The positive rate of EV in Ganzhou in 2020 was lower than that from 2017 to 2019(x2=47.273,P＜0.05).The positive rate of EV in January,March to September in 2020 was significantly lower,and the positive rate of EV in November,December 2020 was significantly higher than that in the same period in 2017 to 2019(P＜0.05).Strain CA16 showed an increasing trend year by year from 2017 to 2019,and became the dominant strain in 2019.The proportion of patients infected with CA6 strain was on the fise from 2018 to 2020,and CA6 became the dominant strain in 2020.Conclusion The HFMD in Ganzhou has obvious population characteristics and seasonality,and the pathogen spectrum is constantly changing.

Background:Gastric cancer is a malignant tumor originating from the gastric mucosal epithelium.OLGA/OLGIM staging systems are scoring systems for gastric mucosal atrophy and intestinal metaplasia based on gastroscopic pathology.Serum pepsinogen(PG)and PG Ⅰ/PG Ⅱ ratio(PGR)can reflect the gastric mucosal function and status.Studying the relationship between PG and OLGA/OLGIM stages and the changing trends is of great value for early screening of gastric cancer.Aims:To explore the relationship between serum PG and OLGA/OLGIM stages,and its application value in screening of early gastric cancer.Methods:A total of 188 healthy individuals underwent gastroscopy from June 2021 to June 2023 at Shanghai Health and Medical Center were selected.The serum PG level was measured,and the status of Helicobacter pylori(Hp)infection was evaluated.OLGA/OLGIM stages were assessed according to the findings of gastroscopic pathology,and correlated with the serum PG level.After two years of follow-up,changes of PG and PGR in subjects with different baseline OLGA/OLGIM stages were analyzed.Results:There were significant differences in PG Ⅰand PGR among subjects with various baseline OLGA/OLGIM stages(P＜0.05).OLGA/OLGIM stages were correlated with Hp infection,family history of malignant gastrointestinal tumors and spicy diet(P＜0.05).The incidences of gastric mucosal atrophy in PG Ⅰ ≤70 μg/L group and PGR≤3.0 group were significantly higher than those in PG Ⅰ＞70 μg/L group and PGR＞3.0 group,respectively(P＜0.05).The follow-up results showed that for baseline OLGA/OLGIM stage 0,PG Ⅰ showed a decreasing trend over time,while no significant change of PG Ⅰ was found in other OLGA/OLGIM stages;PG Ⅱ showed a decreasing trend while PGR showed an increasing trend over time in all stages.But all these trends were not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Conclusions:The combined detection of PG and Hp infection has important value in evaluating the severity of chronic atrophic gastritis and the risk of gastric cancer.It can be applied as an early screening project for gastric cancer in individuals undergoing physical examination.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to reveal the insomnia burden and relevant influencing factors among informal caregivers (ICs) of hospitalized patients with lung cancer. METHODS: A cross-sectional study on ICs of hospitalized patients with lung cancer was conducted from December 31, 2020 to December 31, 2021. ICs' burden was assessed using the Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Linear and logistic regression models were used to identify the influencing factors. RESULTS: Among 289 ICs of hospitalized patients with lung cancer, 83 (28.72%), 53 (18.34%), and 14 (4.84%) ICs experienced mild, moderate, and severe insomnia, respectively. The scores concerning self-esteem, lack of family support, financial problems, disturbed schedule, and health problems were 4.32 ± 0.53, 2.24 ± 0.79, 2.84 ± 1.14, 3.63 ± 0.77, and 2.44 ± 0.95, respectively. ICs with higher Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADLS) scores were associated with a lower risk of insomnia, with an odd ratio ( OR) and 95% confidence interval ( CI) of 0.940 (0.898-0.983). Among the ICs, female gender ( OR = 2.597), alcohol consumption ( OR = 3.745), underlying medical conditions ( OR = 11.765), long-term caregiving experience ( OR = 37.037), and higher monthly expenses ( OR = 5.714) were associated with a high risk of insomnia. CONCLUSION Of the hospitalized patients with lung cancer, 51.9% experienced insomnia. Patients' ADL, ICs gender, alcohol consumption, underlying medical conditions, caregiving duration, and monthly expenses were influencing factors. Therefore, prompt screening and early intervention for ICs of patients with lung cancer is necessary.
Humans ; Female ; Caregivers ; Activities of Daily Living ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/epidemiology* ; Lung Neoplasms/epidemiology*

The approach combining disease, syndrome, and symptom was employed to investigate the characteristic changes of blood stasis syndrome in a rat model of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head(SONFH) during disease onset and progression. Seventy-two male SD rats were randomized into a healthy control group and a model group. The rat model of SONFH was established by injection of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) in the tail vein at a dose of 20 μg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) on days 1 and 2 and gluteal intramuscular injection of methylprednisolone sodium succinate(MPS) at a dose of 40 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) on days 3-5, while the healthy control group received an equal volume of saline. The mechanical pain test, tongue color RGB technique, gait detection, open field test, and inclined plane test were employed to assess hip pain, tongue color, limping, joint activity, and lower limb strength, respectively, at different time points within 21 weeks of modeling. At weeks 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 21 after modeling, histopathological changes of the femoral head were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and micro-CT scanning; four coagulation items were measured by rotational thromboelastometry; and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was employed to determine the levels of six blood lipids, vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), endothelin-1(ET-1), nitric oxide(NO), tissue-type plasminogen activator(t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor factor-1(PAI-1), bone gla protein(BGP), alkaline phosphatase(ALP), receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB(RANKL), osteoprotegerin(OPG), and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b(TRAP5b) in the serum, as well as the levels of 6-keto-prostaglandin 1α(6-keto-PGF1α) and thromboxane B2(TXB2) in the plasma. The results demonstrated that the pathological alterations in the SONFH rats were severer over time. The bone trabecular area ratio, adipocyte number, empty lacuna rate, bone mineral density(BMD), bone volume/tissue volume(BV/TV), trabecular thickness(Tb.Th), trabecular number(Tb.N), bone surface area/bone volume(BS/BV), and trabecular separation(Tb.Sp) all significantly increased or decreased over the modeling time after week 4. Compared with the healthy control group, the mechanical pain threshold, gait swing speed, stride, standing time, and walking cycle of SONFH rats changed significantly within 21 weeks after modeling, with the greatest difference observed 12 weeks after modeling. The time spent in the central zone, rearing score, and maximum tilt angle in the open field test of SONFH rats also changed significantly over the modeling time. Compared with the healthy control group, the R, G, and B values of the tongue color of the model rats decreased significantly, with the greatest difference observed 11 weeks after modeling. The levels of total cholesterol(TC), total triglycerides(TG), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C), and apoprotein B(ApoB) in the SONFH rats changed significantly 4 and 8 weeks after modeling. The levels of VEGF, ET-1, NO, t-PA, PAI-1, 6-keto-PGF1α, TXB2, four coagulation items, and TXB2/6-keto-PGF1α ratio in the serum of SONFH rats changed significantly 4-16 weeks after modeling, with the greatest differences observed 12 weeks after modeling. The levels of BGP, TRAP5b, RANKL, OPG, and RANKL/OPG ratio in the serum of SONFH rats changed significantly 8-21 weeks after modeling. During the entire onset and progression of SONFH in rats, the blood stasis syndrome characteristics such as hyperalgesia, tongue color darkening, gait abnormalities, platelet, vascular, and coagulation dysfunctions were observed, which gradually worsened and then gradually alleviated in the disease course(2-21 weeks), with the most notable differences occurred around 12 weeks after modeling.
Rats ; Male ; Animals ; Femur Head/pathology* ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1/adverse effects* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Femur Head Necrosis/pathology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Steroids ; Pain ; Cholesterol

Objective    To explore the safety and effectiveness of different interventional approaches for the treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in children. Methods    The children (≤7 years) who underwent interventional treatment for PDA from 2019 to 2020 in our hospital were retrospectively included. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the procedures: a conventional arteriovenous approach group, a simple venous approach group, and a retrograde femoral artery approach group. The clinical efficacy of the patients was compared. Results     A total of 220 patients were included. There were 78 males and 142 females, with an average age of 3.21±1.73 years, weight of 14.99±5.35 kg, and height of 96.19±15.77 cm. The average diameter of the PDA was 3.35±1.34 mm. A total of 85 patients received a conventional arteriovenous approach, 104 patients received a simple venous approach, and 31 patients received a retrograde femoral artery approach. The diameter of PDA in the retrograde femoral artery group was smaller than that in the other two groups (3.44±1.43 mm vs. 1.99±0.55 mm; 3.69±1.17 mm vs. 1.99±0.55 mm, P<0.001); the contrast medium usage [40 (30, 50) mL vs. 20 (20, 30) mL; 35 (25, 50) mL vs. 20 (20, 30) mL, P≤0.001] and operation time [32 (26, 44) min vs. 25 (23, 30) min; 29 (25, 38) min vs. 25 (23, 30) min, P<0.05] in the simple venous approach group were significantly less or shorter than those in the other two groups; the length of hospital stay of the conventional arteriovenous group was longer than that in the other two groups [3 (3, 5) d vs. 4 (3, 6) d; 4 (3, 5) d vs. 4 (3, 6) d, P<0.05]. There was no significant difference in postoperative complications. Conclusion    It is safe and effective to close PDA through simple venous approach. The retrograde femoral artery approach has the advantage of simplifying the surgical procedure for PDA with small diameters.

【Objective】 Dyslipidemia has shown to be associated with cardiovascular, metabolic and renal diseases. This study aimed to investigate the association between residual cholesterol and the risk of subclinical renal damage (SRD). 【Methods】 A total of 2 342 participants were recruited from the previously established Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Study cohort. According to estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR) and urinary albumin-to-creatine ratio(uACR), the subjects were divided into SRD group and non-SRD group. The associations of residual cholesterol with eGFR, uACR, and the risk of SRD were analyzed by multiple linear and Logistic regression analyses. 【Results】 Residual cholesterol was positively correlated with uACR(r=0.081, P<0.001) but negatively correlated with eGFR (r=-0.091, P<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that residual cholesterol was an influencing factor of uACR (β=0.075, P<0.001) and eGFR (β=-0.027, P<0.001) after adjustment for gender, age, smoke, alcohol, exercise, BMI, hypertension, diabetes and serum uric acid. In addition, Logistic regression analysis revealed that residual cholesterol was significantly associated with the risk of SRD independently of potential confounders [OR(95% CI)=1.387 (1.113-1.728), P<0.001]. Further subgroup analysis showed that residual cholesterol was significantly associated with the risk of SRD in women but not in men. 【Conclusion】 Residual cholesterol is a contributing factor in the risk of subclinical renal damage with gender-specific association.

【Objective】 4-like protein with down-regulated expression and development in neural precursor cells (NEDD4L) plays an important role in blood pressure (BP) regulation and sodium homeostasis by regulating epithelial sodium channel protein. In this study, we aimed to explore the relationship of NEDD4L gene polymorphisms with BP responses to sodium and potassium intake. 【Methods】 In 2004, 514 subjects from 124 families in Meixian County, Shaanxi Province, were recruited to establish a salt-sensitive hypertension study cohort. All the subjects received a 3-day baseline survey, a 7-day low-salt diet, a 7-day high-salt diet, and finally a 7-day high-salt and potassium supplementation. Their BP was measured and peripheral blood samples were collected at different intervention periods. The 14 gene polymorphisms of NEDD4L gene were genotyped and analyzed by MassARRAY platform. 【Results】 BP decreased on a low-salt diet, and significantly increased on a high-salt diet, and decreased again after potassium supplementation. NEDD4L SNPs rs74408486 were significantly associated with systolic BP, diastolic BP and mean arterial pressure responses to the low-salt diet. SNPs rs292449 and rs2288775 were significantly associated with pulse pressure response to the high-salt diet. In addition, SNPs rs563283 and rs292449 were significantly associated with diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, and pulse pressure responses to high-salt and potassium supplementation diet. 【Conclusion】 NEDD4L gene polymorphisms were significantly associated with BP responses to sodium and potassium intake, suggesting that NEDD4L gene may be involved in the development of salt sensitivity and potassium sensitivity.

【Objective】 Based on our previously established salt-sensitive hypertension cohort, we aimed to examine the association of genetic variants in uromodulin with blood pressure(BP) responses to dietary interventions of sodium and potassium intake. 【Methods】 In 2004, 514 subjects from 124 families in Mei County, Shaanxi Province, were recruited to establish the salt-sensitive hypertension study cohort. Among them, 333 non-parent subjects were selected and sequentially maintained on a normal-diet for 3 days, low-salt diet for 7 days, then a high-salt diet for 7 days and a high-salt diet with potassium supplementation for another 7 days. Thirteen single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) in the uromodulin gene were genotyped on the MassARRAY platform. 【Results】 BP levels decreased from the baseline to low-salt diet, increased from low-salt to high-salt diet, and decreased again from the high-salt diet to the high-salt plus potassium supplementation intervention. SNPs rs77875418 and rs4997081 of the uromodulin gene were significantly associated with diastolic BP(DBP) and mean arterial pressure(MAP) responses to high-salt diet. In addition, SNPs rs77875418, rs79245268, rs4293393, rs6497476, rs4997081, rs13333226, and rs12917707 were significantly associated with systolic BP(SBP), DBP, and MAP responses to high-salt diet with potassium supplementation. 【Conclusion】 Genetic variants in uromodulin gene are significantly associated with BP responses to sodium and potassium supplementation, suggesting that uromodulin may be mechanistically involved in BP sodium-sensitivity and potassium-sensitivity.

【Objective】 M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor(M3 receptor), encoded by CHRM3 gene, is widely distributed in the cardiovascular system and plays an important role in cardiac regulation. The aim of this study was to assess the association of genetic variants in M3 receptor with blood pressure(BP) responses to controlled dietary sodium and potassium interventions. 【Methods】 A total of 333 subjects from 124 families were recruited from the rural areas of northern China. After a three-day baseline observation, they were sequentially on a seven-day low-salt diet, a seven-day high-salt diet, and a seven-day high-salt diet plus potassium supplementation. Thirteen CHRM3 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) were selected for analysis. 【Results】 SNP rs10802811 of the CHRM3 was significantly associated with diastolic BP(DBP) and mean arterial pressure(MAP) responses to both low-salt and high-salt diets while SNPs rs6429147, rs373288072, rs114677844 and rs663148 showed significant associations with systolic BP(SBP) and MAP responses to high-salt diet. In addition, SNP rs6692904 was significantly associated with SBP, DBP and MAP responses to high-salt diet with potassium supplementation. 【Conclusion】 Genetic variants in M3 receptor are significantly associated with BP responses to sodium and potassium intervention, suggesting that M3 receptor may be mechanistically involved in BP salt and potassium sensitivity.