BACKGROUND: Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP), a rare and recurrent autoinflammatory disease, imposes a substantial burden on patients and society. Awareness of GPP in China remains limited. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey, conducted between September 2021 and May 2023 across 14 hospitals in China, included GPP patients of all ages and disease phases. Data collected encompassed demographics, clinical characteristics, economic impact, disease severity, quality of life, and treatment-related complications. Risk factors for GPP recurrence were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 127 patients (female/male ratio = 1.35:1), the mean age of disease onset was 25 years (1st quartile [Q1]-3rd quartile [Q3]: 11-44 years); 29.2% had experienced GPP for more than 10 years. Recurrence occurred in 75.6% of patients, and nearly half reported no identifiable triggers. Younger age at disease onset ( P  = 0.021) and transitioning to plaque psoriasis ( P  = 0.022) were associated with higher recurrence rates. The median diagnostic delay was 8 months (Q1-Q3: 2-41 months), and 32.3% of patients reported misdiagnoses. Comorbidities were present in 53.5% of patients, whereas 51.1% experienced systemic complications during treatment. Depression and anxiety affected 84.5% and 95.6% of patients, respectively. During GPP flares, the median Dermatology Life Quality Index score was 19.0 (Q1-Q3: 13.0-23.5). This score showed significant differences between patients with and without systemic symptoms; it demonstrated correlations with both depression and anxiety scores. Treatment costs caused financial hardship in 55.9% of patients, underscoring the burden associated with GPP. CONCLUSIONS The substantial disease and economic burdens among Chinese GPP patients warrant increased attention. Patients with early onset disease and those transitioning to plaque psoriasis require targeted interventions to mitigate the high recurrence risk.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Psoriasis/pathology* ; Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Adolescent ; Child ; Young Adult ; Quality of Life ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; East Asian People

Objective To explore the effect of hyperlipidemia and lipid-lowering therapy on the prognosis of postoperative patients with hepatitis B related hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods The clinical data of the patients with hepatitis B related hepatocellular carcinoma who were operated in our hospital from January 2012 to January 2021 were retrospectively collected.The effect of blood lipid level and related lipid-lowering therapy on the prognosis of postoperative patients with hepatitis B related hepatocellular carcinoma was analyzed.Results Among 166 patients with hepatitis B related hepatocellular carcinoma,there were 63 cases had hyperlipidemia,of which 33 cases were treated by statins.The median postoperative disease free survival time in the hyperlipidemia group was significantly lower than that in the normal blood lipid group(24.8 months vs.38.5 months,P＜0.05),and the median overall survival time in the hyperlipidemia group was also significantly lower than that in the normal blood lipid group(30.1 months vs.44.5 months,P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in prognosis between the patients with hyperlipidemia who used statins or not.The median disease free survival time was 23.4 months vs.26.3 months,and the median overall survival time was 29.7 months vs.30.3 months.Conclusions Hyperlipidemia is a risk factor for disease free survival and overall survival after surgery in the patients with hepatitis B related hepatocellular carcinoma.The use of statins alone in hyperlipidemia patients cannot reduce the risk of recurrence and prolong survival time.

Solenopsis invicta is a kind of invasive pest that causes serious damage to local agriculture, environment, and human health. They attack mainly with venom within stingers. Those who are allergic to the venom would suffer a systemic anaphylaxis, even fatal shock, after being stinged by these ants. Many studies reveal that their venom is mainly composed by water, insoluble alkaloids and trace proteins, within which alkaloids are the main cause of burning sensation and blisters, while allergic reactions are caused by proteins or peptides. The research progress of toxic substances in the venom of Solenopsis invicta as well as the roles and functions of each component were reviewed in this paper.

Objective:To investigate the effect of irradiation on the expression of miR-150-5p and miR-23a-3p in human peripheral blood serum by collecting peripheral blood of tumor patients before and after radiotherapy, so as to provide scientific basis for finding radiation biomarkers.Methods:A total of 63 tumor patients treated with radiotherapy from October 2021 to March 2022 were enrolled in this study. The relative expression levels of miR-150-5p and miR-23a-3p in peripheral blood serum in these patients were detected using the real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) before and after radiotherapy. The differential changes in the expression levels of the two miRNAs in the peripheral blood serum of the patients before and after radiotherapy were compared, and their relationships with factors such as cancer types were analyzed.Results:The relative expression levels of miR-150-5p and miR-23a-3p in peripheral blood serum of the patients after radiotherapy were significantly lower than those before radiotherapy ( t = 4.97, Z = -2.77, P < 0.05). Among different cancer types, the relative expression level of miR-150-5p in the patients with breast cancer, esophageal cancer, or other digestive tract cancer decreased after radiotherapy ( t = 3.47, 2.47, 2.87, P < 0.05), and the relative expression level of miR-23a-3p in the patients with digestive tract cancer decreased after radiotherapy ( Z = -1.99, P < 0.05). The changes in the expression level of miR-150-5p before and after radiotherapy were not affected by gender, age, chemotherapy, and cancer type ( P > 0.05). By contrast, the changes in the expression level of miR-23a-3p before and after radiotherapy were significantly affected by gender, age, and chemotherapy ( t=2.04, -3.34, -2.29, P<0.05). Conclusions:The expression of miR-150-5p in the serum of tumor patients may be affected by radiotherapy, which has the potential to be used as a biological indicator of radiation.

OBJECTIVETo screen the 5' regulatory region of the aldose reductase (AR) gene for genetic variabilities causing changes in protein expression and affecting the promoter function.

METHODSThe screenings were carried out by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP). All SSCP variants were submitted for DNA sequencing and inserted into the plasmid chloromycetin acetyl transferase (CAT) enhancer vector. The constructs were used to transfect Hela cells, and CAT assays were performed to assess promoter activity. Gel mobility shift and footprinting assays were also performed to determine the interaction between the DNA and nuclear proteins.

RESULTSTwo polymorphisms, C (-106) T and C (-12) G, were identified in the regulatory region in 123 Chinese control subjects and 145 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The frequencies of genotypes WT/WT, WT/C (-12) G and WT/C (-106) T were not significantly different between the subjects and patients. In the patients with and without retinopathy, frequencies of WT/C (-106) T were 31.5% and 17.5% (P < 0.05) respectively, and the frequencies of WT/C (-12) G were 10.5% and 2.5% (P > 0.05) respectively. The total frequency of WT/C (-12) G and WT/C (-106) T in patients with retinopathy was 41.8%, significantly higher than that (20.0%) in patients without retinopathy (P < 0.025). The relative transcription activities of the wild-type, the C (-12) G and the C (-106) T were 15.7%, 31.0% and 32.2%, respectively. The results of DNA-protein interaction assays showed that these variations did not change the binding site of DNA with trans-acting factors.

CONCLUSIONThe polymorphisms C (-12) G and C (-106) T strongly associated with diabetic retinopathy in the Chinese population have been identified in the regulatory region of the aldose reductase gene.

5' Flanking Region ; genetics ; Adult ; Aldehyde Reductase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Binding Sites ; genetics ; China ; Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase ; genetics ; metabolism ; DNA ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA Footprinting ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; enzymology ; genetics ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Female ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Transcription, Genetic