Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided thyroid injection of dexamethasone in the treatment of subacute thyroiditis (SAT).Methods:This is a randomized controlled study involving 32 patients with SAT who received treatment at Endocrinology Clinic of Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital between June 2022 and March 2023. The patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group ( n = 16 per group) using a random number table method. The observation group received ultrasound-guided injection of dexamethasone (5 mg per injection, once a week) into the thyroid lesion, while the control group was treated with oral prednisone acetate tablets (5 mg per dose, three times a day). Both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The clinical efficacy, time taken for body temperature to return to normal, time for pain resolution, time for goiter regression, time for thyroid function to normalize, as well as recurrence rates and adverse reactions, were compared between the two groups. Results:The response rate in the observation group was 100% (16/16), which was significantly higher than that in the control group [75% (12/16), χ2 = 4.57, P = 0.033]. The time taken for body temperature to return to normal, the time for goiter regression, and the time for goiter regression in the observation group were (3.5 ± 3.6) days, (7.4 ± 2.5) days, and (11.6 ± 7.4) days, respectively, which were significantly shorter than those in the control group [(6.1 ± 3.2) days, (9.9 ± 3.5) days, (16.9 ± 6.8) days, t = -2.16, -2.33, -2.11, all P < 0.05]. After 4 weeks of treatment, the observation group showed significantly lower body mass index, fasting blood glucose, and serum triglyceride levels compared to the control group ( t = -2.07, -2.46, -2.13, all P < 0.05). The recurrence rate in the observation group was 0%, which was significantly lower than that in the control group [25% (4/16), χ2 = 4.57, P = 0.033]. Conclusions:The efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided local thyroid injection of dexamethasone for the treatment of SAT are superior to those of the oral treatment regimen.

Objective To explore the correlation of complex inflammation indexes,neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)with the severity of acute ische-mic stroke(AIS).Methods A total of 278 patients with brain MRI-confirmed AIS admitted in our department between March 2018 and September 2023 were enrolled retrospectively,and according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score at admission,they were divided into a mild stroke group(NIHSS score≤3,n=157)and a moderate-severe stroke group(NIHSS score＞3,n=121).Clinical data and results of laboratory tests at admission were collec-ted,and NLR and PLR were calculated.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association of NLR and PLR with AIS severity.Results Compared with the mild stroke group,the moderate-severe stroke group had significantly older age,larger proportions of atrial fibrillation and pre-morbid Modified Rankin Scale(mRS)score＞1,higher NLR and PLR,and higher ratio of culprit large vessel stenosis,and a lower rate of transient ischemic attack(TIA)(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that TIA(95％CI:0.017-0.455,P=0.004)was a protective factor,and pre-morbid mRS＞1(95％CI:1.451-6.700,P=0.004),NLR(95％CI:1.041-1.346,P=0.010)and culprit large vessel stenosis(95％CI:1.370-4.415,P=0.003)were risk factors for the severity of AIS.Conclusion Inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of AIS,and the complex inflammatory index,NLR may be an inde-pendent risk factor for the severity of AIS.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided thyroid injection of dexamethasone in the treatment of subacute thyroiditis (SAT).Methods:This is a randomized controlled study involving 32 patients with SAT who received treatment at Endocrinology Clinic of Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital between June 2022 and March 2023. The patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group ( n = 16 per group) using a random number table method. The observation group received ultrasound-guided injection of dexamethasone (5 mg per injection, once a week) into the thyroid lesion, while the control group was treated with oral prednisone acetate tablets (5 mg per dose, three times a day). Both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The clinical efficacy, time taken for body temperature to return to normal, time for pain resolution, time for goiter regression, time for thyroid function to normalize, as well as recurrence rates and adverse reactions, were compared between the two groups. Results:The response rate in the observation group was 100% (16/16), which was significantly higher than that in the control group [75% (12/16), χ2 = 4.57, P = 0.033]. The time taken for body temperature to return to normal, the time for goiter regression, and the time for goiter regression in the observation group were (3.5 ± 3.6) days, (7.4 ± 2.5) days, and (11.6 ± 7.4) days, respectively, which were significantly shorter than those in the control group [(6.1 ± 3.2) days, (9.9 ± 3.5) days, (16.9 ± 6.8) days, t = -2.16, -2.33, -2.11, all P < 0.05]. After 4 weeks of treatment, the observation group showed significantly lower body mass index, fasting blood glucose, and serum triglyceride levels compared to the control group ( t = -2.07, -2.46, -2.13, all P < 0.05). The recurrence rate in the observation group was 0%, which was significantly lower than that in the control group [25% (4/16), χ2 = 4.57, P = 0.033]. Conclusions:The efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided local thyroid injection of dexamethasone for the treatment of SAT are superior to those of the oral treatment regimen.

Objective To explore the correlation of complex inflammation indexes,neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)with the severity of acute ische-mic stroke(AIS).Methods A total of 278 patients with brain MRI-confirmed AIS admitted in our department between March 2018 and September 2023 were enrolled retrospectively,and according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score at admission,they were divided into a mild stroke group(NIHSS score≤3,n=157)and a moderate-severe stroke group(NIHSS score＞3,n=121).Clinical data and results of laboratory tests at admission were collec-ted,and NLR and PLR were calculated.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association of NLR and PLR with AIS severity.Results Compared with the mild stroke group,the moderate-severe stroke group had significantly older age,larger proportions of atrial fibrillation and pre-morbid Modified Rankin Scale(mRS)score＞1,higher NLR and PLR,and higher ratio of culprit large vessel stenosis,and a lower rate of transient ischemic attack(TIA)(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that TIA(95％CI:0.017-0.455,P=0.004)was a protective factor,and pre-morbid mRS＞1(95％CI:1.451-6.700,P=0.004),NLR(95％CI:1.041-1.346,P=0.010)and culprit large vessel stenosis(95％CI:1.370-4.415,P=0.003)were risk factors for the severity of AIS.Conclusion Inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of AIS,and the complex inflammatory index,NLR may be an inde-pendent risk factor for the severity of AIS.

Polymyxin B and polymyxin E (colistin) are presently considered the last line of defense against human infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative organisms such as carbapenemase-producer Enterobacterales, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Yet resistance to this last-line drugs is a major public health threat and is rapidly increasing. Polymyxin S₂ (S₂) is a polymyxin B analogue previously synthesized in our institute with obviously high antibacterial activity and lower toxicity than polymyxin B and colistin. To predict the possible resistant mechanism of S₂ for wide clinical application, we experimentally induced bacterial resistant mutants and studied the preliminary resistance mechanisms. Mut-S, a resistant mutant of K. pneumoniae ATCC BAA-2146 (Kpn2146) induced by S₂, was analyzed by whole genome sequencing, transcriptomics, mass spectrometry and complementation experiment. Surprisingly, large-scale genomic inversion (LSGI) of approximately 1.1 Mbp in the chromosome caused by IS26 mediated intramolecular transposition was found in Mut-S, which led to mgrB truncation, lipid A modification and hence S₂ resistance. The resistance can be complemented by plasmid carrying intact mgrB. The same mechanism was also found in polymyxin B and colistin induced drug-resistant mutants of Kpn2146 (Mut-B and Mut-E, respectively). This is the first report of polymyxin resistance caused by IS26 intramolecular transposition mediated mgrB truncation in chromosome in K. pneumoniae. The findings broaden our scope of knowledge for polymyxin resistance and enriched our understanding of how bacteria can manage to survive in the presence of antibiotics.

Objective:To explore the correlation between protein energy wasting(PEW)and frailty in elderly patients on maintenance hemodialysis(MHD)and influencing factors of frailty.Methods:Clinical data of patients over 60 who had received regular hemodialysis treatment at Beijing Huairou Hospital between September to December 2021 were collected.According to Fried's evaluation criteria, patients were divided into a frailty group and a non-frailty group, and differences between the two groups were compared.Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to assess the correlation between protein energy wasting and frailty.Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of frailty in elderly patients on MHD.Results:A total of 81 MHD patients enrolled in this study, with 36 in the frailty group.The frailty group was older, had a higher proportion of patients with PEW, and underwent more months of dialysis, with a higher proportion of patients with diabetic nephropathy as the primary disease, having high levels of C-reactive protein(CRP), and having low KT/V, hemoglobin, albumin, body mass index(BMI), mid-arm circumference(MAC)and mid-arm muscle circumference(MAMC), and the differences with the control group were statistically significant(all P<0.05). The Fried frailty phenotype was positively correlated with age( r=0.021, P=0.047), but negatively associated with HGB( r=-0.329, P=0.003), albumin( r=0.021, P=0.047), BMI( r=0.021, P=0.047), TSF( r=-0.274, P=0.013), MAC( r=-0.554, P<0.001)and MAMC( r=-0.293, P=0.008). A Logistic regression equation was constructed using frailty as the dependent variable.The results showed that age, months of dialysis, KT/V, serum albumin and CRP were independent factors influencing the development of frailty in elderly patients with MHD. Conclusions:PEW and frailty coexist and interact with each other in elderly patients with MHD.Clinicians should place emphasis on the assessment of frailty and protein energy wasting in elderly dialysis patients and achieve early detection and intervention to avoid adverse clinical outcomes.

Objective:To compare the clinicopathological differences between elderly and non-elderly patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy(IMN).Methods:Patients diagnosed with IMN via renal biopsy at Beijing Huairou Hospital, Beijing Changping Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2017 to August 2021 were retrospectively enrolled.They were classified into the elderly group(≥65 years)and the non-elderly group(<65 years), and the clinicopathological differences between the two groups were compared.Results:A total of 207 IMN patients were included in the study, with a male to female ratio of 1.7∶1.0.There were 56 patients in the elderly group, aged(68.2±3.1)years, and 151 patients in the non-elderly group, aged(48.2±6.2)years.Compared with the non-elderly group, the elderly group had a longer time from onset to renal biopsy and a higher proportion of patients with renal insufficiency and hypertension( P<0.05). The elderly group had a lower eGFR, lower serum albumin, higher serum cholesterol, and higher low-density lipoprotein than the non-elderly group( P<0.05). The proportions of patients with glomerulosclerosis, renal tubular atrophy, and interstitial fibrosis in the elderly group were higher than in the non-elderly group( P<0.05). The positive rates of glomerular PLA2R antigen staining in the two groups were 90.6%(29/32)and 91.0%(111/122), respectively, and there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups.IgG4 deposition represented the most common IgG subtype, with 93.8%(30/32)in the elderly group and 94.3%(115/122)in the non-elderly group.There was no statistical significance between the two groups( P>0.05). Conclusions:Compared with non-elderly IMN patients, a higher proportion of elderly IMN patients has renal insufficiency, hypertension and chronic renal pathology.The glomerular deposition of pathogenic antigens in elderly IMN patients was similar to that in non-elderly IMN patients, suggesting no difference in pathogenesis between the two groups.The clinicopathological differences between the two groups may be related to age and complications.

Studies have shown that sarcopenia can result in adverse clinical outcomes, including reduced quality of life and increased hospitalization and mortality rates.Compared with the general population, the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with chronic kidney disease is significantly higher.This phenomenon is closely related to the complicated pathogenesis of the chronic kidney disease.In this review, we mainly discuss the epidemeology, etiology, pathogenesis and interventions of sarcopenia in patients with chronic kidney disease to provide reference for the treatment and prevention of sarcopenia in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Objective:To analyze the skin microbiota diversity in patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) using 16S rDNA sequencing.Methods:Ten patients with PV and 10 healthy controls were collected from the Department of Dermatology, the Third People′s Hospital of Hangzhou. Skin swabs were collected from perilesional skin (PV group) and contralateral non-lesional skin (PVn group) of the patients with PV, as well as from the corresponding body sites of the healthy controls (normal control group) . The 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing technology was used for gene sequencing and classification in all microbiota samples, and Usearch software for data cluster analysis to obtain operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and assess species abundance at the phylum, class, order, family and genus levels. Observed species index, Shannon index and Simpson index were used to estimate α diversity, and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) was performed to analyze β diversity. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis was conducted to identify differentially abundant species in each group. PICRUSt software was used for gene function prediction. Wilcoxon rank sum test was used as nonparametric test for comparisons between 2 groups, and Kruskal Waills test as nonparametric test for comparisons among 3 groups.Results:There were 2 002, 1 869, 1 751, 1 611 and 1 120 OTUs at phylum, class, order, family and genus levels respectively. Cluster analysis showed that skin microbiome in the 3 groups mainly consisted of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria at the phylum level. At the genus level, Staphylococcus was the most abundant in the PV group and PVn group, and Corynebacterium was the most abundant in the normal control group. The observed species index, Shannon index and Simpson index all significantly differed among the 3 groups (all P< 0.05) , and the Shannon index and Simpson index were significantly lower in the PV group (3.24±1.30, 0.70±0.19, respectively) than in the normal control group ( P< 0.05) . PCoA analysis showed no significant difference in β diversity among the 3 groups ( P=0.054) . Rank sum test showed that the abundance of 32 species significantly differed among the 3 groups ( P< 0.05) . Among them, high relative abundance was observed in the class Bacilli enriched in the PV group, as well as the genera Micrococcus and Brevundimonas enriched in the normal control group. According to the disease duration, the patients with PV were divided into long-course PV group with disease duration of ≥ 3 months, and short-course PV group with disease duration of < 3 months. Clostridiales, Oscillibacter, Sphingomonas were enriched in the long-course PV group, and Gammaproteobacteria was enriched in the short-course PV group. Gene function prediction analysis showed that the genes related to infectious diseases were enriched in the pemphigus group. Conclusion:The 16S rDNA-based microbiota profiling suggested differences in the diversity and composition of skin microbiota between patients with PV and healthy individuals.

OBJECTIVE： To observe the improvement effect and mechanism of 4-hydroxy-2-benzoxazolone （HBOA） on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats. METHODS： Male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group， model group， colchicine group （positive control， 0.4 mg/kg） and HBOA low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose groups （50， 75， 100 mg/kg）， with 12 rats in each group. Except for normal control group was given constant volume of normal saline intragastrically， other groups were given 50％CCl4-olive oil solution （2 mL/kg， initial dose double） intragastrically， twice a week， for consecutive 12 weeks， to induce hepatic fibrosis model. Since the 9th week of modeling， administration groups were given relevant medicine intragastrically. Normal control group and model group were given constant volume of 0.6％ Carboxymethylcellulose sodium solution intragastrically， once a day， for consecutive 4 weeks. After last administration， the serum contents of ALT， AST， IL-1β and IL-10， the protein expression of NF-κB p65， TNF-α， IL-6 and ICAM-1 in liver tissue were determined. RESULTS： Compared with normal control group， the positive expression of NF-κB p65 in liver tissue was increased significantly in model group； serum contents of ALT， AST and IL-1β as well as protein expression of NF-κB p65， TNF-α， IL-6 and ICAM-1 in liver tissure were increased significantly， while serum content of IL-10 was decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group， the positive expression of NF-κB p65 in liver tissue were decreased to different extents in administration groups； serum contents of ALT， AST and IL-1β as well as protein expression of NF-κB p65， TNF-α， IL-6 and ICAM-1 in liver tissue were decreased significantly， while serum content of IL-10 was increased significantly （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS： HBOA can improve carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats， and the mechanism of which may be associated with relieving inflammatory reaction by blocking NF-κB signaling pathway and down-regulating the protein expression of ICAM-1.