ObjectiveThis study leverages structural data from antigen-antibody complexes of the influenza A virus neuraminidase (NA) protein to investigate the spatial recognition relationship between the antigenic epitopes and antibody paratopes. MethodsStructural data on NA protein antigen-antibody complexes were comprehensively collected from the SAbDab database, and processed to obtain the amino acid sequences and spatial distribution information on antigenic epitopes and corresponding antibody paratopes. Statistical analysis was conducted on the antibody sequences, frequency of use of genes, amino acid preferences, and the lengths of complementarity determining regions (CDR). Epitope hotspots for antibody binding were analyzed, and the spatial structural similarity of antibody paratopes was calculated and subjected to clustering, which allowed for a comprehensively exploration of the spatial recognition relationship between antigenic epitopes and antibodies. The specificity of antibodies targeting different antigenic epitope clusters was further validated through bio-layer interferometry (BLI) experiments. ResultsThe collected data revealed that the antigen-antibody complex structure data of influenza A virus NA protein in SAbDab database were mainly from H3N2, H7N9 and H1N1 subtypes. The hotspot regions of antigen epitopes were primarily located around the catalytic active site. The antibodies used for structural analysis were primarily derived from human and murine sources. Among murine antibodies, the most frequently used V-J gene combination was IGHV1-12*01/IGHJ2*01, while for human antibodies, the most common combination was IGHV1-69*01/IGHJ6*01. There were significant differences in the lengths and usage preferences of heavy chain CDR amino acids between antibodies that bind within the catalytic active site and those that bind to regions outside the catalytic active site. The results revealed that structurally similar antibodies could recognize the same epitopes, indicating a specific spatial recognition between antibody and antigen epitopes. Structural overlap in the binding regions was observed for antibodies with similar paratope structures, and the competitive binding of these antibodies to the epitope was confirmed through BLI experiments. ConclusionThe antigen epitopes of NA protein mainly ditributed around the catalytic active site and its surrounding loops. Spatial complementarity and electrostatic interactions play crucial roles in the recognition and binding of antibodies to antigenic epitopes in the catalytic region. There existed a spatial recognition relationship between antigens and antibodies that was independent of the uniqueness of antibody sequences, which means that antibodies with different sequences could potentially form similar local spatial structures and recognize the same epitopes.

Objective:To compare the dosimetric differences between volumetric modulated arc therapy(VMAT)and helical tomotherapy(HT)in undergoing protective plan for pelvic bones of patients with cervical cancer.Methods:A total of 40 patients with cervical cancer,who underwent radiotherapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University from January 2023 to February 2024,were selected for this study.The target volumes and organs at risk(OARs)were delineated after the information of computed tomography(CT)simulation images were acquired from each patient.The pelvic bone was alone delineated as OAR.Two kinds of bone marrow dose-limiting radiotherapy plans,coplanar dual-arc VMAT and HT,were respectively designed for each patient by using the treatment planning system(TPS)of radiotherapy.A statistical analysis was conducted to compare the dose parameters of target volume,conformity,homogeneity,OAR dose-volume,mean dose,and maximum dose of point between the two kinds of plans.Results:Both the VMAT and HT plans could meet the requirements of target volume and OARs for dose.For general OARs,the dose-volume percentage(V40 Gy)of V40 Gy at bladder,mean dose(Dmean),rectal V40 Gy,maximum dose(Dmax)at small intestine point of HT plan were respectively(38.97±2.29)%,(38.06±0.45)Gy,(61.50±2.51)%and(50.82±0.36)Gy.The differences of them between HT plan and VMAT plan were statistically significant(t=25.46,13.99,1.56,10.93,P<0.05).The V10 Gy,V20 Gy,V30 Gy and Dmean of VMAT plan were respectively(70.76±2.51)%,(60.84±3.29)%,(52.40±2.56)%and(32.02±4.33)Gy for pelvic bones,which were significantly lower than those of HT plan,and the differences of them between two kinds of plans were also statistically significant(t=-20.68,-13.23,-7.73,-10.26,P<0.05).Conclusion:The HT plan can provide the optimal dose distribution for target region in radiotherapy for patients with cervical cancer,which can better protect OAR nearby target region.VMAT plan has a significant advantage in low-dose regions of protecting pelvis.Thus,individualized treatment design should be conducted according to the conditions of each patient in clinical treatment.

Sensitive skin (SS) is increasingly recognized as a complex syndrome characterized by discomfort and heightened sensitivity to otherwise harmless stimuli, such as environmental changes, physical contact, and cosmetic products. This condition poses challenges in both diagnosis and treatment due to its variable presentation and subjective nature. The pathophysiological features of SS include neurogenic inflammation and small fiber neuropathy, largely driven by the hyperactivation of sensory nerves. This hyperactivation is closely associated with transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, particularly TRPV1, which contribute to the exaggerated sensory responses seen in SS. Furthermore, psychological factors like stress and anxiety, along with environmental stressors such as pollution and ultraviolet exposure, play significant roles in exacerbating symptoms. The diverse and individualized responses to stimuli make it difficult to establish standardized diagnostic criteria for SS, necessitating a combination of subjective diagnostic tools (e.g., the Sensitive Scale-10) and objective assessments (e.g., transepidermal water loss and lactic acid sting test) to accurately identify and assess SS. This paper provides a comprehensive review of SS, covering its definition, prevalence, pathogenesis, diagnostic challenges, and management strategies, and highlights the importance of personalized care in effectively managing SS and improving patient quality of life.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of ultra-low dose (ULD) CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) combined with deep learning reconstruction (DLR) in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE).Methods:This cross-sectional study prospectively enrolled 100 patients with suspected PE who underwent CTPA examination in Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, and Shanghai Geriatric Medical Center from April to July 2024, and were randomly divided into the routine dose (RD) group and ULD group according to block randomization. Effective dose (ED) were calculated. The noise index of RD group and ULD group was set to 10 and 20, respectively. Other scanning parameters and contrast agent injection protocol were the same. The CT images of RD group were reconstructed using hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR), while ULD images were reconstructed with HIR and DLR (ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup). The image quality of the three groups of images was subjectively evaluated (overall image noise, pulmonary artery display) and objectively evaluated [signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the images] respectively. Finally, the diagnostic results of PE by the expert committee composed of three chief physicians were taken as the gold standard, and one physician with lower qualifications independently evaluated the diagnostic rate of PE in the three groups of images. Objective image quality parameters across the three groups were compared using ANOVA, with LSD post hoc test was used for multiple comparisons. Subjective scores among the three groups were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis H test, with Bonferroni corrected pairwise post hoc test was applied for multiple pairwise comparisons. Results:The ED in the RD group and ULD group were (2.7±0.5) mSv and (0.7±0.2) mSv, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant ( t=26.42, P<0.001). The overall differences in CT values of pulmonary arteries at all levels in the images of the RD group, the ULD-HIR subgroup, and the ULD-DLR subgroup were not statistically significant ( P>0.05).The RD group, ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup overall differences in SNR and CNR at all levels pulmonary arteries were statistically significant ( P<0.001), in which except for the differences in CNR and SNR values of the left pulmonary arterial trunk in the RD group and the ULD-HIR subgroup, and SNR values of basal segment pulmonary artery of the lower lobe of the left lung, which were not statistically significant ( P>0.05), the differences of the rest of the indexes in the pairwise comparisons between the groups were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The overall differences in the subjective scores of image pulmonary vascular display and image noise in the RD group, ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup were statistically significant ( P<0.001), except that the differences in the subjective scores of image pulmonary vascular display in the ULD-DLR subgroup were not statistically significant when compared with that of the RD group ( P>0.05) and that of the rest of the metrics in the between-groups two-by-two comparisons were all statistically significant ( P<0.05). The difference in diagnostic rates of PE in the pulmonary artery trunk, lobe and segmental levels in the images of the RD group, ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). Conclusions:DLR can significantly reduce the radiation dose of CTPA examination. Even at ultra-low radiation dose, its image quality is still better than HIR reconstruction at conventional doses and preserve diagnostic accuracy of PE at the lobe level and segment level.

Objective:To compare the dosimetric differences between volumetric modulated arc therapy(VMAT)and helical tomotherapy(HT)in undergoing protective plan for pelvic bones of patients with cervical cancer.Methods:A total of 40 patients with cervical cancer,who underwent radiotherapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University from January 2023 to February 2024,were selected for this study.The target volumes and organs at risk(OARs)were delineated after the information of computed tomography(CT)simulation images were acquired from each patient.The pelvic bone was alone delineated as OAR.Two kinds of bone marrow dose-limiting radiotherapy plans,coplanar dual-arc VMAT and HT,were respectively designed for each patient by using the treatment planning system(TPS)of radiotherapy.A statistical analysis was conducted to compare the dose parameters of target volume,conformity,homogeneity,OAR dose-volume,mean dose,and maximum dose of point between the two kinds of plans.Results:Both the VMAT and HT plans could meet the requirements of target volume and OARs for dose.For general OARs,the dose-volume percentage(V40 Gy)of V40 Gy at bladder,mean dose(Dmean),rectal V40 Gy,maximum dose(Dmax)at small intestine point of HT plan were respectively(38.97±2.29)%,(38.06±0.45)Gy,(61.50±2.51)%and(50.82±0.36)Gy.The differences of them between HT plan and VMAT plan were statistically significant(t=25.46,13.99,1.56,10.93,P<0.05).The V10 Gy,V20 Gy,V30 Gy and Dmean of VMAT plan were respectively(70.76±2.51)%,(60.84±3.29)%,(52.40±2.56)%and(32.02±4.33)Gy for pelvic bones,which were significantly lower than those of HT plan,and the differences of them between two kinds of plans were also statistically significant(t=-20.68,-13.23,-7.73,-10.26,P<0.05).Conclusion:The HT plan can provide the optimal dose distribution for target region in radiotherapy for patients with cervical cancer,which can better protect OAR nearby target region.VMAT plan has a significant advantage in low-dose regions of protecting pelvis.Thus,individualized treatment design should be conducted according to the conditions of each patient in clinical treatment.

Aim To study the mechanism of adipose mesenchymal stem cell exosomes(ASC-exo)inhibition of fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC)-induced atopic dermatitis(AD).Methods The mouse age,extrac-tion method,and the concentration of a solution of typeⅠ collagen enzyme and other conditions were compared to study the effects on the morphology and quantity of adipose mesenchymal stem cells(ASCs)after extrac-ted.FITC-induced mouse model in vivo was estab-lished and different doses of ASC-exo were given to measure ear thickness,ear weight and ear scratching times of mice.HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of ear tissue of mice.The non-toxicity of ASC-exo was detected.IgE,IL-5,IL-13 and other cytokines were detected by ELISA.The gene ex-pressions of TSLP,IL-33,occludin,Claudin-1(CLDN-1)and E-cadherin were detected by RT-qPCR.The protein expression was detected by immunohistochemis-try.Results An efficient method for extracting ASCs was established.Compared with the blank group,mice in the model group showed obvious AD symptoms.Compared with the model group,ASC-exo administra-tion group significantly reduced the number of ear scratches,epidermal thickening,inflammatory cell infil-tration and the secretion of Th2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13.Meanwhile,ASC-exo administration group signifi-cantly increased the expression of structural proteins CLDN-1 and occludin in epithelial cells and decreased the expression of TSLP and IL-33.Conclusions ASC-exo can significantly improve Th2 skin inflamma-tion in AD mice,and its mechanism may be through in-creasing the expression of tight junction proteins and adhesion link protein in epithelial cells,repairing the skin barrier,and inhibiting the key promoters of allergy TSLP and IL-33.

OBJECTIVES: To study the significance of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ [25-(OH)D₃] level in the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of children with immunoglobulin A vasculitis nephritis (IgAVN). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of children with IgAVN who underwent renal biopsy at Suzhou Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University and Jinling Hospital of the Medical School of Nanjing University from June 2015 to June 2020. Based on serum 25-(OH)D₃ level, the patients were divided into a normal group and a lower group. The clinicopathological characteristics and follow-up data of the two groups were collected and compared. RESULTS: A total of 359 children with IgAVN were included. Compared to the normal group (62 cases), the lower group (297 cases) exhibited higher incidences of hematochezia and gross hematuria, higher levels of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, urinary retinol protein, urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase, and quantitative urinary protein, and a longer duration from renal biopsy to urinary protein becoming negative, as well as lower estimated glomerular filtration rate and albumin level (P<0.05). Renal pathology in the lower group showed a higher occurrence of tubular interstitial injury, crescent formation, segmental sclerosis in glomeruli, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the renal interstitium compared to the normal group (P<0.05). Survival analysis indicated that the cumulative renal survival rate was lower in the lower group (P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that low serum 25-(OH)D₃ level is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in children with IgAVN. CONCLUSIONS Children with IgAVN and low serum 25-(OH)D₃ level have relatively severe clinicopathological manifestations. Low serum 25-(OH)D₃ level is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in children with IgAVN.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Calcifediol/blood* ; Child, Preschool ; Adolescent ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA/mortality* ; Vasculitis/pathology* ; IgA Vasculitis/mortality*

Aim To study the mechanism of adipose mesenchymal stem cell exosomes(ASC-exo)inhibition of fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC)-induced atopic dermatitis(AD).Methods The mouse age,extrac-tion method,and the concentration of a solution of typeⅠ collagen enzyme and other conditions were compared to study the effects on the morphology and quantity of adipose mesenchymal stem cells(ASCs)after extrac-ted.FITC-induced mouse model in vivo was estab-lished and different doses of ASC-exo were given to measure ear thickness,ear weight and ear scratching times of mice.HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of ear tissue of mice.The non-toxicity of ASC-exo was detected.IgE,IL-5,IL-13 and other cytokines were detected by ELISA.The gene ex-pressions of TSLP,IL-33,occludin,Claudin-1(CLDN-1)and E-cadherin were detected by RT-qPCR.The protein expression was detected by immunohistochemis-try.Results An efficient method for extracting ASCs was established.Compared with the blank group,mice in the model group showed obvious AD symptoms.Compared with the model group,ASC-exo administra-tion group significantly reduced the number of ear scratches,epidermal thickening,inflammatory cell infil-tration and the secretion of Th2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13.Meanwhile,ASC-exo administration group signifi-cantly increased the expression of structural proteins CLDN-1 and occludin in epithelial cells and decreased the expression of TSLP and IL-33.Conclusions ASC-exo can significantly improve Th2 skin inflamma-tion in AD mice,and its mechanism may be through in-creasing the expression of tight junction proteins and adhesion link protein in epithelial cells,repairing the skin barrier,and inhibiting the key promoters of allergy TSLP and IL-33.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of ultra-low dose (ULD) CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) combined with deep learning reconstruction (DLR) in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE).Methods:This cross-sectional study prospectively enrolled 100 patients with suspected PE who underwent CTPA examination in Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, and Shanghai Geriatric Medical Center from April to July 2024, and were randomly divided into the routine dose (RD) group and ULD group according to block randomization. Effective dose (ED) were calculated. The noise index of RD group and ULD group was set to 10 and 20, respectively. Other scanning parameters and contrast agent injection protocol were the same. The CT images of RD group were reconstructed using hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR), while ULD images were reconstructed with HIR and DLR (ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup). The image quality of the three groups of images was subjectively evaluated (overall image noise, pulmonary artery display) and objectively evaluated [signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the images] respectively. Finally, the diagnostic results of PE by the expert committee composed of three chief physicians were taken as the gold standard, and one physician with lower qualifications independently evaluated the diagnostic rate of PE in the three groups of images. Objective image quality parameters across the three groups were compared using ANOVA, with LSD post hoc test was used for multiple comparisons. Subjective scores among the three groups were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis H test, with Bonferroni corrected pairwise post hoc test was applied for multiple pairwise comparisons. Results:The ED in the RD group and ULD group were (2.7±0.5) mSv and (0.7±0.2) mSv, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant ( t=26.42, P<0.001). The overall differences in CT values of pulmonary arteries at all levels in the images of the RD group, the ULD-HIR subgroup, and the ULD-DLR subgroup were not statistically significant ( P>0.05).The RD group, ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup overall differences in SNR and CNR at all levels pulmonary arteries were statistically significant ( P<0.001), in which except for the differences in CNR and SNR values of the left pulmonary arterial trunk in the RD group and the ULD-HIR subgroup, and SNR values of basal segment pulmonary artery of the lower lobe of the left lung, which were not statistically significant ( P>0.05), the differences of the rest of the indexes in the pairwise comparisons between the groups were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The overall differences in the subjective scores of image pulmonary vascular display and image noise in the RD group, ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup were statistically significant ( P<0.001), except that the differences in the subjective scores of image pulmonary vascular display in the ULD-DLR subgroup were not statistically significant when compared with that of the RD group ( P>0.05) and that of the rest of the metrics in the between-groups two-by-two comparisons were all statistically significant ( P<0.05). The difference in diagnostic rates of PE in the pulmonary artery trunk, lobe and segmental levels in the images of the RD group, ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). Conclusions:DLR can significantly reduce the radiation dose of CTPA examination. Even at ultra-low radiation dose, its image quality is still better than HIR reconstruction at conventional doses and preserve diagnostic accuracy of PE at the lobe level and segment level.

AIM To investigate the effects of total Astragalus saponins on the improvement of sarcopenia in a rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).METHODS The rats were divided into the normal group for a normal feeding and the model group for the feeding of high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of STZ to establish a T2DM model.The successful model rats were randomly divided into the model group,the metformin group(0.2 g/kg)and the total Astragalus saponins group(80 mg/kg),and given corresponding doses of drugs by gavage.After 12 weeks administration,the rats had their FBG,postprandial blood glucose(PG2h)and wet weight of skeletal muscle measured;their serum levels of INS,C-peptide(C-P),IGF-1,TNF-α and IL-1β detected by ELISA;their morphological changes of skeletal muscle observed by HE staining;their protein expressions of PI3K,p-Akt,mTOR,S6K1,FoxO1 and Murf1 in skeletal muscle detected by Western blot;and their mRNA expressions of Pi3k,Akt and mtor in skeletal muscle detected by RT-qPCR method.RESULTS Compared with the model group,the total Astragalus saponins group displayed decreased levels of FBG,PG2h,OGTT-AUC,HOMA-IR,TNF-α and IL-1β(P＜0.01);increased levels of INS,C-P,IGF-1 and wet weight of skeletal muscle(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);improved skeletal muscle atrophy and increased protein expressions of PI3K,p-Akt,mTOR and S6K1 in skeletal muscle(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);decreased protein expressions of FoxO1 and Murf1(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);and increased mRNA expressions of Pi3k,Akt and mtor(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION The improvement effects of total Astragalus saponins on sarcopenia in T2DM rats may be associated with the regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 pathways.