INTRODUCTION: The profile of patients referred from primary to tertiary nephrology care is unclear. Ethnic Malay patients have the highest incidence and prevalence of kidney failure in Singapore. We hypothesised that there is a Malay predominance among patients referred to nephrology due to a higher burden of metabolic disease in this ethnic group. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational cohort study. From 2014 to 2018, a coordinator and physician triaged patients referred from primary care, and determined co-management and assignment to nephrology clinics. Key disease parameters were collated on triage and analysed. RESULTS: A total of 6,017 patients were studied. The mean age of patients was 64 ± 16 years. They comprised 57% men; 67% were Chinese and 22% were Malay. The proportion of Malay patients is higher than the proportion of Malays in the general population (13.4%) and they were more likely than other ethnicities to have ≥3 comorbidities, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, coronary artery disease and stroke (70% vs. 57%, P < 0.001). Malay and Indian patients had poorer control of diabetes mellitus compared to other ethnicities (glycated haemoglobin 7.8% vs. 7.4%, P < 0.001). Higher proportion of Malay patients compared to other ethnicities had worse kidney function with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <30 mL/min/1.73 m 2 on presentation (28% vs. 24%, P = 0.003). More ethnic Malay, Indian and younger patients missed appointments. CONCLUSION A disproportionately large number of Malay patients are referred for kidney disease. These patients have higher metabolic disease burden, tend to miss appointments and are referred at lower eGFR. Reasons underpinning these associations should be identified to facilitate efforts for targeting this at-risk population, ensuring kidney health for all.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Singapore/epidemiology* ; Referral and Consultation/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Nephrology ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Metabolic Diseases/epidemiology* ; Ethnicity ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Malaysia/ethnology* ; Adult

Malignant pleural effusion(MPE)is a common complication in patients with advanced malignant tumors,which not only significantly reduces their quality of life but also shortens their survival duration.Despite the widespread use of traditional treatment methods such as thoracentesis and pleurodesis,their efficacy is limited accompanied by high recurrence rates.Therefore,exploring novel therapeutic strategies becomes particularly urgent.In recent years,immunotherapy has attracted extensive attention for its potential in cancer treatment.This article systematically reviews the roles of CD4+T cell subsets,including regulatory T cells(Treg),T helper cell(Th)17,Th9,and Th22 cells,within the immunosuppressive microenvironment of MPE.These cell subsets are involved in the formation of the immunosuppressive state of MPE through various mechanisms and play key roles in the occurrence and development of the disease.In addition,the article discusses in detail the role of immune checkpoint molecules,such as programmed death protein 1(PD-1),PD-1 ligand(PD-L1),and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4(CTLA-4),in the immune evasion of MPE.The abnormal expressions of these molecules provide opportunity for tumor cells to evade immune system surveillance.At the same time,this article also summarizes the application prospects of novel immunotherapy strategies,such as adoptive cell therapy(ACT)and chimeric antigen receptor T cell(CAR-T)therapy,in the treatment of MPE.These innovative therapies offer possibilities for improving the prognosis of MPE patients through activating and enhancing the anti-tumor immune response.

Objective To analyze the factors influencing the deterioration of nutritional status after radiotherapy/radiochemotherapy for esophageal cancer,so as to provide reference for nutritional management during antitumor therapy.Methods A total of 106 patients with esophageal cancer who received radiotherapy or radiochemotherapy at Anqing First People's Hospital of Anhui Medical University from Dec.2017 to Dec.2023 were enrolled.Patients'gender,age,surgical history,timing of radiotherapy intervention,synchronous chemoradiotherapy,radiotherapy dose,clinical stage,initial nutritional status,and performance status score were collected.The patient generated subjective global assessment scale(PG-SGA)scores were monitored before and after antitumor treatment.According to the nutritional status at the beginning of enrollment and at the end of radiotherapy,the patients were assigned to deterioration group or non-deterioration(stable or improved)group.The clinical characteristics of the 2 groups were compared.The factors influencing the deterioration of nutritional status were screened by logistic regression analysis.The correlation between nutritional status deterioration and adverse reactions(radiation esophagitis,pulmonary infection,neutropenia,thrombocytopenia,and elevated aminotransferase)was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis.Results There were no significant differences in gender,radiotherapy dose,initial nutritional status,or performance status score between the 2 groups for the deterioration of nutritional status after radiotherapy(all P＞0.05).The proportions of patients with previous surgical history of esophageal cancer,synchronous chemoradiotherapy,initiation of radiotherapy at less than 90%of target calorie requirement,and clinical stage Ⅳ were significantly higher in the deterioration group than those in the non-deterioration group(all P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that clinical stage Ⅳ(odds ratio[OR]=4.684,95%confidence interval[CI]1.252-17.519,P=0.022)and previous surgical history of esophageal cancer(OR=7.338,95%CI 1.878-28.666,P=0.004)were the independent adverse risk factors for the deterioration of nutritional status after radiotherapy/radiochemotherapy.The timing of radiotherapy intervention was also an independent risk factor for the deterioration of nutritional status,and taking the tolerance of 70%-90%target energy as the reference level,starting radiotherapy when the tolerance of 90%-100%target energy had the optimal protection of nutritional status(OR=0.166,95%CI 0.050-0.551,P=0.003).Spearman correlation analysis showed that the deterioration of nutritional status was positively correlated with elevated transaminases after radiotherapy(rs=0.283,P=0.003),while it was not correlated with the other adverse reactions(all P＞0.05).Conclusion Under the standard nutritional intervention model,patients with previous surgery and recurrent metastatic esophageal cancer who receive radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy are still at risk of nutritional status deterioration.Tolerance to 90%-100%target energy requirement may be a more appropriate timing for radiotherapy intervention.When the nutritional status deteriorates during treatment,it is necessary to be alert to the elevated transaminases.

With the continuous development of experimental biology, the limitations of commonly utilized model organisms are becoming increasingly apparent. Discrepancies between research conducted on laboratory animals and humans significantly impede the translational application of findings derived from animal experiments. This review introduces ascidian Ciona intestinalis as a novel model organism, an invertebrate that is evolutionarily closest to vertebrates and is a sister group to vertebrates. The review summarizes recent research progress on Ciona intestinalis in various fields to illustrate the significant advantages and promising application prospects of it as a model organism. The research progress outlined in the review mainly encompasses: (1) The whole-genome sequencing of Ciona intestinalis has been determined and numerous related databases have been established. Various embryonic gene editing technologies have been successfully applied, making it an animal model easy to manipulate genetically and study the functions and interactions of target genes visually. (2) In the field of neurobiology, Ciona intestinalis boasts a central nervous system structure similar to that of vertebrates and possesses numerous homologous neuropeptides and hormone molecules. These features grant it an edge in exploring the mechanisms and functional evolution of endocrine and neuroendocrine-related molecules. Additionally, the sensitivity and habituation of its larvae to light stimulation provide an avenue for exploring mechanisms related to behavioral plasticity. (3) In the field of immunology, Ciona intestinalis possesses a mature innate immune system and has evolved precursor genes to the adaptive immune system, with a relatively simple coding of immune-related genes. These features make it an exemplary model organism for immunological studies. (4) In the field of developmental biology, many studies have focused on the notochord development process in Ciona intestinalis and the regulatory mechanisms of gene expression within it, indicating common evolutionary developmental strategies among chordates. Additionally, insights into its heart development also significantly enhance our comprehension on the genetic network of human heart development. (5) In medical research, the ability of Ciona intestinalis to regenerate its neural complex and siphon, as well as the resilience of its heart to recover contractile function from substantial damage, renders it a valuable animal model for the study of regeneration and heart injury. It also has unique advantages as a research model for Alzheimer's disease and new drug development. Furthermore, its brief five-month lifespan facilitates the observation and recording of the entire aging process and the exploration of the effects of various factors on aging. In summary, this review aims to demonstrate that Ciona intestinalis stands out as a model organism with unique attributes and is expected to play a significant role in a wider range of scientific research areas.

[摘 要] 目的：探讨IL-22/IL-22受体A1（IL-22RA1）通路在口腔鳞状细胞癌（OSCC）恶性进展中的作用及其机制。方法：利用GEO数据库和免疫组化法分析IL-22RA1在OSCC组织及配对癌旁组织中的表达水平，采用组织芯片免疫组化法检测并分析IL-22RA1表达水平与OSCC患者临床病理特征的关系，通过EBI ArrayExpress数据库分析IL-22RA1表达水平与患者预后的关系。采用免疫荧光法检测IL-22和IL-22RA1在OSCC组织中表达水平并分析两者间的相关性。用RNA干扰技术敲减OSCC细胞WSU-HN4和CAL27的IL-22RA1表达，用qPCR法验证敲减效率。采用克隆形成实验、Transwell小室法分别检测IL-22对阴性对照（siNC）组和IL-22RA1敲减（siIL-22RA1）组OSCC细胞克隆形成及迁移能力的影响，WB法检测IL-22对OSCC细胞IL-22RA1表达水平及STAT1、STAT3和ERK1/2磷酸化水平的影响。结果：OSCC组织中IL-22RA1 mRNA的表达水平显著高于癌旁组织（P<0.05）。IL-22RA1表达水平与OSCC患者的肿瘤大小（P<0.05）、淋巴结转移（P<0.01）及预后不良（P<0.05）有关联。OSCC组织中的IL-22和IL-22RA1表达水平无明显关联，IL-22对OSCC细胞IL-22RA1表达无影响（均P>0.05）。IL-22可显著增强OSCC细胞的克隆形成和迁移能力（均P<0.01），并可激活OSCC细胞的STAT1、STAT3及ERK1/2信号分子；敲减OSCC细胞的IL-22RA1后，IL-22则无法发挥上述作用。结论：IL-22/IL-22RA1可通过调控细胞增殖和迁移促进OSCC的生长和转移，其下游机制可能是激活ERK1/2-STAT1/3信号通路。

Objective:To evaluate the potential causal relationship between inflammatory factors and PCa using the two-sample Mendelian randomization(MR)method.Methods:We selected summary statistics of genome-wide association studies(GWAS)(n=14 824)on 91 inflammatory factors,with PCa as the outcome in the latest 9th edition of FinnGen database for MR analysis.We evaluated the causal relationship between inflammatory factors and PCa using the odds ratio(OR)and 95%confidence interval(CI)of such regression models as inverse variance weighting(IVW),MR-Egger regression,simple mode(SM),weighted mode(WM)and weighted median estimator(WME),with IVW as the main statistical method for this study.We further verified the results of MR by Bayesian analysis,and evaluated the heterogeneity of genetic instrumental variables,pleiotropic effects and sensitivity of single nu-cleotide polymorphisms(SNP)as instrumental variables to the exposure-outcome relationship by Cochran's Q test,MR-Egger intercept test and leave-one-out cross validation.Results:IVW showed that among the 91 inflammatory factors,interleukin-22 receptor A1(IL-22RA1)and sulfotransferase 1A1(ST1A1)were correlated positively with the risk of PCa;IL-22RA1:IVW(OR[95%CI]:1.12[1.00-1.25],P=0.04);ST1A1:IVW(OR[95%CI]:1.08(1.00-1.16),P=0.03),while Chemokine ligand 11(CXCL11)and interleukin 17 A(IL-17 A)negatively with the risk of PCa;CXCL11:IVW(OR[95%CI]:0.88[0.81-0.95],P=0.00);IL-17A:IVW(OR[95%CI]:0.91[0.84-0.98],P=0.02).No potential horizontal pleiotropy was detected by MR-Egger intercept analysis(P>0.05,IL-22RA1=0.885,ST1A1=0.949,CXCL11=0.391,IL-17A=0.884),nor biased SNPs in the MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier(MR-PRESSO)test(P>0.05,IL-22RA1=0.479,ST1A1=0.629,CXCL11=0.326,IL-17A=0.444),or heterogeneity P>0.05,IL-22RA1=0.543,ST1A1=0.677,CXCL11=0.336,IL-17A=0.494).Leave-one-out sensitivity analysis indicated no significant impact of individual SNP sites on the overall causal rela-tionship prediction,suggesting the reliable results of analysis.Conclusion:Among the 91 inflammatory factors,IL-22RA1 and ST1A1 have a positive causal relationship,while CXCL11 and IL-17A have a negative causal relationship with PCa.

Aim To investigate the protective effect of eriodictyol(ERD)on kidney damage in hypertensive mice and its possible mechanism.Methods Thirty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into five groups of six in each group.They were the control group(Ctrl),the hypertension model group(DOCA/Salt),the eriodictyol low-dose(DOCA/Salt+ERD-L),the high-dose(DOCA/Salt+ERD-H)and the positive drug perindopril group(DOCA/Salt+Perindopril).The classic hypertension model was induced by DOCA/Salt,and ERD was administered continuously for four weeks,and blood pressure,serum urea nitrogen,cre-atinine and other indicators were measured.Hematoxy-lin-eosin staining(HE)and Masson staining were used to observe the pathological changes of the kidney.Western blot was used to detect the expression of EMT marker proteins α-SMA,Vimentin,E-cadherin and FN in renal epithelial mesenchymal transition.Real-Time PCR was used to detect the expression of renal inflammatory cytokines Nlrp3,TNF-α,IL-1 β,IL-18,MCP-1 and NADPH oxidase(NOXs).Western blot was employed to detect the expression levels of TGF-β1,phosphorylated(p)-Smad2,TLR4 and NF-κB p65 proteins in mice.Results ERD intervention could delay the occurrence of hypertension,improve the pathological damage of renal tissue,reduce renal collagen deposition.It could also reduce the level of renal inflammation and oxidative stress,improve the level of EMT protein,and significantly reduce the pro-tein expression of TGF-β1,p-Smad2,TLR4 and NF-κB p65.Conclusions ERD is shown to have a signif-icant protective effect on DOCA/Salt hypertensive renal damage,and its mechanism may be related to the regu-lation of TGF-β1/Smad2,TLR4/NF-κB p65 and other signaling pathways.

The comprehensive detection and identification of active ingredients in complex matrices is a crucial challenge.Liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry(LC-HRMS)is the most prominent analytical platform for the exploration of novel active compounds from complex matrices.However,the LC-HRMS-based analysis workflow suffers from several bottleneck issues,such as trace content of target compounds,limited acquisition for fragment information,and uncertainty in interpreting relevant MS2 spectra.Lycibarbarspermidines are vital antioxidant active ingredients in Lycii Fructus,while the reported structures are merely focused on dicaffeoylspermidines due to their low content.To comprehensively detect the new structures of lycibarbarspermidine derivatives,a"depict"strategy was developed in this study.First,potential new lycibarbarspermidine derivatives were designed according to the biosynthetic pathway,and a comprehensive database was established,which enlarged the coverage of lycibarbarspermidine derivatives.Second,the polarity-oriented sample prep-aration of potential new compounds increased the concentration of the target compounds.Third,the construction of the molecular network based on the fragmentation pathway of lycibarbarspermidine derivatives broadened the comprehensiveness of identification.Finally,the weak response signals were captured by data-dependent scanning(DDA)followed by parallel reaction monitoring(PRM),and the efficiency of acquiring MS2 fragment ions of target compounds was significantly improved.Based on the integrated strategy above,210 lycibarbarspermidine derivatives were detected and identified from Lycii Fructus,and in particular,170 potential new compounds were structurally characterized.The integrated strategy improved the sensitivity of detection and the coverage of low-response components,and it is expected to be a promising pipeline for discovering new compounds.

Objective:To explore the efficacy of adjusting the dose of imatinib dose in the context of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) who are receiving adjuvant therapy after complete resection of their tumors.Methods:This was a descriptive study. Inclusion criteria were (1) complete surgical resection with a pathological diagnosis of GIST, (2) postoperative adjuvant therapy with imatinib and dosage adjustment, (3) multiple TDM of imatinib, and (4) complete clinical, pathological, and follow-up data. The data of 70 patients with GISTs treated at Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology between January 2015 and December 2023 were collected retrospectively. The study cohort comprised 15 (21.4%) men and 55 (78.6%) women of median age 60 years (range: 25–82). Of the eligible patients, 49 (70.0%) were at high-risk, 14 (20.0%) at intermediate-risk, six (8.6%) at low-risk, and one (1.4%) at very low risk. Patients were followed up by the gastrointestinal stromal tumor clinic every 2–3 months and their plasma concentrations of imatinib were checked. The dose was adjusted to 300 mg/d or 200 mg/d depending on whether they had had ≥ grade III adverse reactions, and whether the first plasma concentration of imatinib was ≥ 1,500 μg/L or between the expected range of 760 μg/L–1,100 μg/L. Studied indicators included adverse reactions, quality of life before and after dose adjustment, and overall survival and recurrence-free survival (RFS) after dose adjustment.Results:Before dose adjustment, all 70 patients received 400 mg of imatinib daily, with initial TDM values of 1,900 ± 568 μg/L, for a median duration of 8.3 months. After dose adjustment, 60 patients received 300 mg daily, with a TDM of 1,216 ± 350 μg/L, whereas 10 received 200 mg daily, with a TDM of 1,023 ± 269 μg/L. The median duration of treatment after dose adjustment was 23.4 months. Compared with those whose dosages were not adjusted, the incidence of bone marrow suppression was significantly lower (74.3% [52/70] vs. 51.4% [36/70], χ 2=9.202, P=0.010); as were the incidences of edema (95.7% [67/70] vs. 50.0% [35/70], χ 2=40.526, P<0.001); skin reactions (70.0% [49/70] vs. 32.9% [23/70), χ 2=22.495, P<0.001); and gastrointestinal reactions (38.6% [27/70] vs. 10.0% [7/70], χ 2=15.899, P<0.001) in those whose dosages were adjusted. The average total scores for physical health before and after dose adjustment were 76 ± 5 and 88 ± 4, respectively; whereas the mental health scores were 75 ± 6 and 89 ± 4, respectively. The median follow-up period was 36 months (range 6–126). During the first 3 years of follow-up, five high-risk patients with non-gastric GISTs developed recurrences. The 3-year overall survival rate was 100%, and the 3-year RFS rate was 92.8%, high-risk patients having a 3-year RFS rate of 89.8%. Conclusion:The adverse reactions and quality of life of GIST patients with severe adverse reactions to adjuvant imatinib therapy after complete resection can be mitigated by appropriately reducing the dosage of imatinib under the guidance of TDM.

Objective:To explore the key factors affecting plasma clot retraction and optimize the experimental method of plasma clot retraction,in order to study the regulation of platelet function and evaluate the modulatory effects of drugs on plasma clot retraction.Methods:The effects of different concentrations of thrombin,Ca2+and platelets on plasma clot retraction were studied,and the detection system of plasma clot retraction was optimized.The availability of the detection system was then validated by analyzing the regulatory effects of multiple signaling pathway inhibitors on plasma clot retraction.Results:Through the optimization study of multiple factors,platelet rich plasma(PRP)containing 0.5 mmol/L Ca2+and 40 × 109/L platelets was treated with 0.2 U/ml thrombin to perform plasma clot retraction analysis.After treatment with thrombin for 15 min,plasma clot retracted significantly.After treatment with thrombin for 30 min,the percentage of plasma clot retraction was more than 50％.The regulatory effects of multiple signaling pathway inhibitors on plasma clot retraction were studied in this detection system.PKC inhibitor Go 6983 exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on plasma clot retraction,while PI3K inhibitor Ly294002 and p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 slightly suppressed plasma clot retraction.Conclusion:PRP containing 0.5 mmol/L Ca2+and 40 × 109/L platelets can be induced with 0.2 U/ml thrombin to conduct plasma clot retraction analysis,which can be used to study the regulation of platelet function and evaluate the modulatory effects of drugs on plasma clot retraction.