1.column:Serum short-chain fatty acid levels and their association with atopic dermatitis in pediatric patients
Zhenxiang WANG ; Lele CHEN ; Liping DONG ; Sheng WANG ; Jinlei XU ; Xinying CAI ; Fengli XIAO
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(4):763-769
ObjectiveTo investigate the metabolic alterations of serum short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in pediatric patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and their correlation with different clinical phenotypes using targeted metabolomics. MethodsThis study enrolled 87 AD patients and 67 healthy controls (HC). Serum levels of eight SCFAs were quantified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The associations between SCFAs and AD were assessed using various statistical methods. ResultsCompared with the HC group, levels of acetic acid (AA), propionic acid (PA), and caproic acid (CA) (P=0.002,P=0.002,P=0.043) decreased in the AD group. Logistic regression analysis identified AA (OR=0.449, 95% CI: 0.289–0.698) and PA (OR = 0.487, 95% CI: 0.324–0.732) as protective factors against AD. The combination of AA and PA yielded an area under the curve (AUC) greater than 0.7, indicating good diagnostic efficacy. Age-stratified analysis revealed that AA reduction was predominant in childhood, whereas PA reduction was predominant in adolescence. Pathway enrichment analysis showed significant enrichment of fatty acid biosynthesis (FDR=0.341, P=0.003) and vitamin K metabolism (FDR=1, P=0.039) pathways. Furthermore, subgroup analyses based on disease severity, personal/family history of atopy, and sex revealed no significant differences in SCFAs levels among the groups. ConclusionDifferential serum SCFAs and their enriched metabolic pathways may be implicated in the pathogenesis of AD.
2.Differences in deltamethrin resistance and kdr gene mutation in Culex tritaeniorhynchus population in and outside the Yellow Sea wetland
Xiao-er ZHANG ; Zhi-ming WU ; Ye TIAN ; Qian CUI ; Yu-qian JI ; Huan WANG ; Shu-juan YANG ; Yi-chao ZHAO ; Yu WANG ; Hua-yu YIN ; Yu DING ; Guo-jin YAN ; Min-sen ZHAO ; Shou-gang ZHANG ; Bing-dong SONG ; Hong-na CHEN ; Jian GAO ; Wei-fang YANG ; Yu-fu ZHANG ; Hui LIU ; Hong-liang CHU
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(2):101-107
Objective To gain insights into the biological characteristics of different populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus within and around the Yellow Sea wetland from the perspective of the occurrence of resistance, we investigated the levels of resistance to deltamethrin and kdr gene mutation in the wetland and its peripheral areas. Methods Specimens were collected from Cx. tritaeniorhynchus populations at two monitoring sites in the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area, and also from two populations in Yancheng City and the Liuhe District of Nanjing, and the resistance of these mosquitoes to deltamethrin was determined using the CDC biotest bottle method. For each concentration of deltamethrin assessed, a random subset of exposed specimens was selected for amplification of the kdr gene fragment, followed by Sanger sequencing to identify and analyze resistance-associated mutations. Results The LC50 levels of deltamethrin among mosquitoes from the four populations in Luhe, Yancheng, the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and the Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area were 2.048 5, 7.798 2, 3.473 3, and 17.695 5 mg/mL, respectively, with corresponding concentrations of deltamethrin ranging from 0.005 to 5.000,0.050 to 50.000,0.050 to 25.000 and 0.050 to 50.000 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the ranges of the KT50 values were 11.76-107.43, 67.05-216.30,29.77-107.43 and 28.40-329.51 min; the 1-h knockdown rates were 34.58%-99.15%, 9.52%-43.80%, 55.09%-73.01%, and 10.09%-68.07%; and the 24-h mortality rates were 12.15%-67.52%,9.52%-79.56%,13.17%-82.21%, and 11.01%-78.99%, respectively. With respect to kdr gene mutation, we assayed a total of 63,70,59, and 57 mosquitoes for the four populations, for which we detected L1014F mutation frequencies of 14.29%, 35.00%, 20.34%, and 31.58%, respectively, with a majority of these mutations being heterozygous for resistance. In addition, five adult mosquitoes were identified has having synonymous mutations at site 1011[i. e. , AAT(asparagine)mutation to AAC(asparagine)]. Conclusions Our findings revealed the clear resistance of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus to deltamethrin in the Yancheng region of the Yellow Sea wetland, and the resistance phenotype and kdr frequency of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment were comparable to those of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment, thereby indicating that the resistance of different populations of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was homogeneous under the pressure of different insecticide selection within and around the wetland. However, the underlying mechanisms need to be further studied.
3.The first record of Anopheles messeae (Diptera: Culicidae) parasitized by water mites in China
Xue-ru CHEN ; Wen-zhen YAO ; Yu-hao LI ; Gui-chang LI ; Tao MENG ; Qun-ling FENG ; Xin-hui LIU ; Li-hong QIAO ; Xiang-ting WU ; Xue-feng ZHANG ; Cheng-lin LI ; Xue-cheng DONG ; Da-wei WANG ; Xiao-yan SI ; Yu-hong GUO
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(1):53-57
Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.
4.Treatment Modalities and Long-Term Outcomes in Unruptured Vertebrobasilar Fusiform Aneurysms: A Nationwide Observational Cohort Study
Linggen DONG ; Dachao WEI ; Xiheng CHEN ; Mingtao LI ; Yang ZHAO ; Yong SUN ; Qingbin NIE ; Jun FENG ; Guomin XIAO ; Jinghua ZHOU ; Shengli HU ; Lifei FENG ; Lifeng QI ; Hongen LIU ; Geng GUO ; Yufang LI ; Renfu TIAN ; Jianghua YU ; Dianshi JIN ; Liang HAO ; Tian TIAN ; Shizhong ZHANG ; Yang WANG ; Liping LIU ; Ming LV
Journal of Stroke 2026;28(2):250-262
Background:
and Purpose Vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms (VBFAs) carry substantial morbidity and mortality, but optimal management for unruptured VBFAs remains unclear. We compared the safety and efficacy of conservative management (CM), stent-assisted coiling (SAC), and flow diverters (FDs) in patients with unruptured VBFAs, focusing on long-term prognosis.
Methods:
This study included data from a nationwide Chinese cohort of patients with vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) balanced confounders across groups. The primary outcome was poor prognosis (modified Rankin Scale score >2). Secondary outcomes included aneurysm rupture, ischemic stroke, compression symptoms, and VBFA-related deaths. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed.
Results:
Among 1,115 patients with unruptured VBFAs, 838 (median age, 54 years; 655 men) were included. After IPTW, baseline characteristics were balanced. Median follow-up was 54 months. FD was associated with a lower risk of poor prognosis than CM (OR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.30 to 0.77]; p=0.002), with no difference between CM and SAC. FD also reduced aneurysm rupture (OR, 0.20 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.60]; p=0.004) and compression symptoms (OR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.13 to 0.68]; p=0.004) versus CM. Time-to-event analyses further revealed significant differences in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, whereas no significant differences were observed in basilar or vertebrobasilar junction lesions or in Type III–IV VBFAs.
Conclusions
Compared with CM, FD was associated with improved long-term outcomes in unruptured VBFAs, particularly in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, although residual confounding cannot be excluded.
5.Comparison of Three Drowning-related Plankton Testing Methods in Drowning Diagnosis
Xiao-Feng ZHANG ; Qin SU ; Xiao-Hui CHEN ; Wei-Bin WU ; Dong-Yun ZHENG ; Jian ZHAO ; Ling CHEN ; Qu-Yi XU ; Chao LIU
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2025;41(3):244-251
Objective To compare the application effects of plankton multiplex polymerase chain reac-tion-capillary electrophoresis(PCR-CE),SYBR Green Ⅰ real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR)and microwave digestion-vacuum filtration-automated scanning electron microscopy(MD-VF-Auto SEM)in the diagnosis of drowning.Methods Lung,liver and kidney tissues from 212 drowned corpses and 30 non-drowned corpses were examined respectively by the three drowning-related plankton testing methods,and the detection rates of plankton in each tissue by three methods were compared.Results In drowned corpses,the total detection rates of PCR-CE,qPCR,and MD-VF-Auto SEM were 93.9%,96.2%,and 95.3%,respectively,with no statistically significant difference(P>0.05).The detection rate of lung tissue by MD-VF-Auto SEM(100%)was higher than those of PCR-CE and qPCR(P<0.05),and there was no significant difference in the detection rates of the three methods in liver or kidney tissues(P>0.05).In non-drowning corpses,a small number of diatoms(less than 10 cells/10 g)were detected by MD-VF-Auto SEM method,only in liver and kidney tissues,while the other two methods yielded negative results for all tissues.Conclusion All three methods have good efficacy in the examination of drowned corpses.The MD-VF-Auto SEM method directly observes diatom morpho-logical characteristics through scanning electron microscopy,and the qualitative and quantitative analy-ses are intuitive and accurate.It has great advantages in the examination of difficult degradation samples.The PCR-CE method and qPCR method have a low sample demand(0.5 g),are easy to operate and have short detection time(4-7 h).They are easy to be applied in the grassroots depart-ments and are suitable for the rapid determination of drowned corpses in routin cases.The combina-tion of the two DNA methods with the MD-VF-Auto SEM method can increase the detection rate of plankton,ensuring the reliability of examination results.This combined use is of significant importance in the application of drowning diagnosis.
6.Design and application of foot pad for arch support after plantar skin extraction
Xiao-sheng JIANG ; Hai-ying CHEN ; Ping-dong LIN ; Shu-run HUANG ; Mei-ping ZHUANG ; Ting-ting WANG
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2025;46(3):115-117
Objective To develop a foot pad for arch support after plantar skin grafting and evaluate its rehabilitation effect on scar tissue in the arch area of postoperative patients.Methods The foot pad for arch support after plantar skin grafting was fabricated from medical-grade silicone and comprised a pad body and an arch support component.The pad body featured shock-absorbing convex patterns on its surface,precision-cut grooves in the metatarsal region and an upwardly convex arch section;the arch support component consisted of an arch-supporting portion with heel reinforcement and a heel-supporting portion,both peripherally integrated with vibration-damping through-holes.Totally 82 burn patients undergoing grafting using plantar skin were selected and divided equally into a control group and an experimental group with the random number table method.In the control group,anti-scarring care such as applying silicone gel and pressure therapy by rehabilitation nurses was carried out immediately after the healing of the plantar skin removal site.In the experimental group,the foot pad was used for rehabilitation care besides the routine treatment in the control group.The two groups were compared in terms of scarring and adverse reactions at the plantar skin removal site.SPSS 25.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Results Within 1 week after healing,the number of patients in the experimental group who had subcutaneous bruising and rupture was less than that in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).At 3 months after healing,the experimental group behaved better than the control group in scarring,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion The foot pad developed with simple structure and easy operation can be used for rehabilitation exercise of patients after plantar skinning.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(3):115-117]
7.Osteopathia striata with cranial sclerosis caused by the AMER1 gene variant
Jian MA ; Xiao CHEN ; Yuqiang LYU ; Min GAO ; Rui DONG ; Zhongtao GAI ; Yi LIU
Chinese Journal of Applied Clinical Pediatrics 2025;40(1):60-63
A retrospective analysis was made on clinical data of a child with osteopathia striata with cranial sclerosis (OS-CS) diagnosed in the Department of Neonatology, Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University in January 2024.The proband was admitted to hospital due to premature delivery at 30 + 2 weeks, shortness of breath and poor response for 13 days after resuscitation.After birth, the child had no spontaneous breathing with floppy limbs.Tracheal intubation was required for positive pressure ventilation.Cranial ultrasound showed right subventricular hemorrhage with bilateral intraventricular hemorrhage and bilateral parieto-occipital subdural hemorrhage; cardiac ultrasound showed patent ductus arteriosus and tricuspid regurgitation; scrotal ultrasound showed bilateral inguinal cryptorchidism with right testicular hydrocele; gastrointestinal ultrasound showed that the lumen of the transverse colon was filled with many fecal matters with strong echoes.Whole exome sequencing(WES) indicated that the proband carried a hemizygous variant of c. 1489C>T(p.Arg497 *) in the AMER1 gene, which was inherited from his mother, as verified by Sanger sequencing.The hemizygous variant of c. 1489C>T(p.Arg497 *) in the AMER1 gene was rated as likely pathogenic (PVS1+ PM2-Supporting) according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics(ACMG) guidelines, which was not included in the Human Gene Mutation Database(HGMD) database.High-throughput sequencing identified the hemizygous variant of c. 1489C>T(p.Arg497 *) in the AMER1 gene as the genetic etiology of the proband.This was the first report of AMER1 gene variant leading to OS-CS in China.The study enriches the variation spectrum and clinical phenotype spectrum of the AMER1 gene, providing a valuable foundation for clinical diagnosis, treatment, and subsequent research of the disease.
8.Effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on lunginjury and fibrosis in chickens
Yangyong DONG ; Xiaotong WANG ; Zhaomei LIU ; Ran WANG ; Yuxuan ZHANG ; Jingyi CHEN ; Tongyao WANG ; Wei WANG ; Xiaoyan QIU ; Xiong XIAO
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;45(9):2008-2016
Silver nanoparticles(AgNPs)are employed as disinfectants due to their extensive antimi-crobial properties,but their biosafety in the livestock industry has not been comprehensively as-sessed.In this study,16 Black-skin Red-crowned chickens aged 32 weeks were randomly divided in-to four groups and sprayed with AgNP solution at the concentration of 0,0.064,0.128 or 0.256 g/L,respectively,every 72 h in their coops for 30 d.The effects of AgNPs as the disinfectant on lung tissue in chicken were investigated through calculation of organ coefficients,observation of lung tissue sections,analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid,measurement of inflammatory factors,de-tection of silver residue in lung tissue,and exploration of signaling pathways in pulmonary fibrosis.The results indicated that chickens in the 0.128 and 0.256 g/L AgNPs treatment groups showed the blurred pulmonary lobule boundaries,the destroyed alveolar structure,and the significant in-crease in pulmonary fibrosis.These pathological changes were accompanied by the decrease in lung organ coefficient,the reduced SP-C content,the increased total protein concentration in lavage flu-id,and the elevated LDH and silver content in lung tissue.The levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the 0.128 and 0.256 g/L AgNPs treatment groups were significantly higher than the control group,which suggested that AgNPs exposure could induce the pulmonary inflammatory responses.High concentrations of AgNPs can trigger pulmonary tissue fibrosis,damaging the structure and func-tions of lungs.The relative mRNA expression levels of NF-κB in all AgNPs treatment groups,TGF-β in the 0.128 g/L AgNPs treatment group,and Smad3 in the 0.128 and 0.256 g/L AgNPs treatment groups were significantly higher than these in the control group,respectively.Spraying chickens with 0.128 or 0.256 g/L AgNPs for disinfection led to pulmonary deposition of AgNPs,causing direct structural and functional damages to the lungs.It could also induce the chronic pul-monary inflammation through the NF-κB pathway and promote the TGF-β/Smad3 pathway to in-crease collagen synthesis,leading to pulmonary fibrosis.Therefore,the application of high concen-trations of AgNPs in livestock farming requires careful consideration of their potential biological safety issues.
9.Serum lipidomic profiling in patients with dermatomyositis based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry
Tongchuan MA ; Xinying CAI ; Rui WANG ; Liping DONG ; Lele CHEN ; Fengli XIAO
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2025;58(8):736-743
Objective:To investigate differences in serum lipid profiles between patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and healthy controls.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data and serum samples collected from 51 patients with DM who visited the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University from September 2020 to January 2022. Serum samples were also collected from 66 healthy controls during the same period. Serum lipid profiles were analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in both groups. Differential lipids were screened using principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis. The predictive value of these differential lipids for DM was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and their correlations with clinical indicators were also evaluated.Results:A total of 51 patients with DM were enrolled, including 27 males and 24 females, with ages ( M[ Q1, Q3]) of 55.00 (47.00, 66.00) years and body mass index (BMI) values of 22.64 (19.79, 24.75) . The control group included 66 healthy individuals (33 males and 33 females) , with ages of 51.00 (43.75, 56.00) years and BMI values of 23.60 (21.18, 25.19) . No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of sex, age, or BMI (all P > 0.05) . A total of 341 lipid metabolites were identified, and 16 lipid metabolites such as ceramides (Cer) , sphingomyelins, phosphatidylcholines (PC) , phosphatidylethanolamines, lysophosphatidylcholines (LPC) , and triglycerides (TG) significantly differed between the DM group and the control group, of which 8 were upregulated and 8 were downregulated in the DM group. ROC curve analysis identified 7 differential lipids with area under the curve (AUC) values of > 0.9, of which 2 were Cer, 3 were TG, 1 was phosphatidylethanolamine, and 1 was LPC. In the DM patients, serum LPC (22∶1) levels were negatively correlated with creatine kinase isoenzyme MB levels ( r = -0.276, P < 0.05) , serum PC (15∶1/16∶0) levels were negatively correlated with aspartate aminotransferase levels ( r = -0.305, P < 0.05) , and serum Cer (d18∶1/18∶0) levels were positively correlated with C-reactive protein levels ( r = 0.283, P < 0.05) . Significant differences in serum lipid levels were observed between some DM subgroups (all P < 0.05) : sphingomyelin (d24∶0) levels significantly differed between anti-Sj?gren syndrome type A/Ro52 antibody-positive and -negative DM patients; LPC (17∶1) levels significantly differed between anti-PM-SCL75 antibody-positive and -negative DM patients; LPC (20∶0) and PC (32∶1p) levels significantly differed between anti-Mi-2 antibody-positive and -negative DM patients; LPC (22∶1) and TG (9∶0/9∶0/9∶0) levels significantly differed between anti-TIF1-γ antibody-positive and -negative DM patients; Cer (d18∶1/18∶0) levels significantly differed between DM patients with and without Heliotrope's sign. Conclusion:Lipid profiles were significantly altered in DM patients compared with healthy controls, and some lipids showed potential diagnostic value for DM.
10.Retrospective Analysis of Venetoclax Combined with Azacitidine Compared with "3+7" or Similar Regimens for Newly Diagnosed Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
Lu-Lu WANG ; Juan ZHANG ; Yue ZHANG ; Yong ZHANG ; Xiao-Min DONG ; Dan-Yang ZHANG ; Ting-Ting CHEN ; Yun-Hui ZHOU ; Teng WANG ; Hui-Ling LAN ; He-Bing ZHOU
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2025;33(3):672-681
OBJECTIVE:
To retrospectively analyze the clinical data of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients treated with venetoclax combined with azacitidine (Ven/Aza) or standard "3+7" regimen and similar regimens, collect real-world study data, compare the treatment response and adverse events between the two regimens, as well as perform survival analysis.
METHODS:
To retrospectively analyze the efficacy, survival, and adverse reactions of newly diagnosed AML patients treated with Ven/Aza (24 cases) and "3+7" regimens (117 cases ) in our hospital from September 2009 to March 2023, as well as factors influencing outcomes. A propensity score matching (PSM) was performed on age and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) to obtain a 1:1 matched cohort of 20 pairs, and the efficacy and survival before and after the matching were compared.
RESULTS:
The median age of patients in the Ven/Aza group was 69 years, while that in the "3+7" group was 56 years (P <0.001). Objective remission rate (ORR) was 62.5% in Ven/Aza group and 74.8% in "3+7" group (P >0.05). The median overall survival (OS) in the Ven/Aza group was 522 days, while that in the "3+7" group was 1 002 days (P >0.05). After controlling the two variables of age and ECOG PS, a PSM cohort of 20 pairs was obtained, in which the ORR was 65% in Ven/Aza group and 60% in "3+7" group (P >0.05). The median OS was 522 days and 629 days, and median progression-free survival (PFS) was 531 days and 198 days between the two groups, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in OS and PFS between the two groups (both P >0.05). Additionally, the incidence of adverse events in the Ven/Aza group was significantly reduced.
CONCLUSION
The overall cohort shows that the "3+7" regimen has advantages in efficacy and survival, but Ven/Aza regimen is relatively safer. After performing PSM on age and ECOG PS, the Ven/Aza group showed improved efficacy, and a longer median PFS compared to "3+7" group.
Humans
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Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/drug therapy*
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Retrospective Studies
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Sulfonamides/administration & dosage*
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Azacitidine/administration & dosage*
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Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic/administration & dosage*
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Aged
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Middle Aged
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Male
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Female
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Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use*
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Treatment Outcome


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