OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expression of soluble factor-related apoptosis ligand (sFasL) in peripheral blood and microRNA-147b (miR-147b) in monocytes in children with sepsis and their value in assessing prognosis. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on 124 children with sepsis (sepsis group), 60 children with common infections (infection group), and 60 healthy children undergoing physical examinations (healthy control group). The independent risk factors for poor prognosis in children with sepsis were analyzed, and the value of serum sFasL and monocyte miR-147b in predicting poor prognosis in children with sepsis was assessed. RESULTS: The serum level of sFasL and the relative expression of miR-147b in monocytes were highest in the sepsis group, followed by the infection group and the healthy control group (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the serum level of sFasL and the relative expression of miR-147b in monocytes were closely associated with the poor prognosis of children with sepsis (P<0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the combination of serum sFasL level and relative expression of miR-147b in monocytes had a larger area under the curve compared to each indicator alone in predicting the prognosis of children with sepsis (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There are significant increases in the level of sFasL in peripheral blood and the relative expression of miR-147b in monocytes in children with sepsis. The combined use of these two indicators has relatively high clinical value in assessing the prognosis of children with sepsis.
Humans ; Sepsis/diagnosis* ; MicroRNAs/blood* ; Male ; Female ; Monocytes/metabolism* ; Prognosis ; Child, Preschool ; Prospective Studies ; Child ; Infant ; TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand/blood* ; Logistic Models

Homo- or heterodimeric compounds that affect dimeric protein function through interaction between monomeric moieties and protein subunits can serve as valuable sources of potent and selective drug candidates. Here, we screened an in-house dimeric natural product collection, and panepocyclinol A (PecA) emerged as a selective and potent STAT3 inhibitor with profound anti-tumor efficacy. Through cross-linking C712/C718 residues in separate STAT3 monomers with two distinct Michael receptors, PecA inhibits STAT3 DNA binding affinity and transcription activity. Molecular dynamics simulation reveals the key conformation changes of STAT3 dimers upon the di-covalent binding with PecA that abolishes its DNA interactions. Furthermore, PecA exhibits high efficacy against anaplastic large T cell lymphoma in vitro and in vivo, especially those with constitutively activated STAT3 or STAT3^Y640F. In summary, our study describes a distinct and effective di-covalent modification for the dimeric compound PecA to disrupt STAT3 function.

Accurate timing of myelination is crucial for the proper functioning of the central nervous system. Here, we identified a de novo heterozygous mutation in TMEM63A (c.1894G>A; p. Ala632Thr) in a 7-year-old boy exhibiting hypomyelination. A Ca²⁺ influx assay suggested that this is a loss-of-function mutation. To explore how TMEM63A deficiency causes hypomyelination, we generated Tmem63a knockout mice. Genetic deletion of TMEM63A resulted in hypomyelination at postnatal day 14 (P14) arising from impaired differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Notably, the myelin dysplasia was transient, returning to normal levels by P28. Primary cultures of Tmem63a^-/- OPCs presented delayed differentiation. Lentivirus-based expression of TMEM63A but not TMEM63A_A632T rescued the differentiation of Tmem63a^-/- OPCs in vitro and myelination in Tmem63a^-/- mice. These data thus support the conclusion that the mutation in TMEM63A is the pathogenesis of the hypomyelination in the patient. Our study further demonstrated that TMEM63A-mediated Ca²⁺ influx plays critical roles in the early development of myelin and oligodendrocyte differentiation.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation/physiology* ; Oligodendroglia/metabolism* ; Mice, Knockout ; Mice ; Male ; Myelin Sheath/metabolism* ; Humans ; Child ; Cells, Cultured ; Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells/metabolism*

Patients suffering from nerve injury often experience exacerbated pain responses and complain of memory deficits. The dorsal hippocampus (dHPC), a well-defined region responsible for learning and memory, displays maladaptive plasticity upon injury, which is assumed to underlie pain hypersensitivity and cognitive deficits. However, much attention has thus far been paid to intracellular mechanisms of plasticity rather than extracellular alterations that might trigger and facilitate intracellular changes. Emerging evidence has shown that nerve injury alters the microarchitecture of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and decreases ECM rigidity in the dHPC. Despite this, it remains elusive which element of the ECM in the dHPC is affected and how it contributes to neuropathic pain and comorbid cognitive deficits. Laminin, a key element of the ECM, consists of α-, β-, and γ-chains and has been implicated in several pathophysiological processes. Here, we showed that peripheral nerve injury downregulates laminin β1 (LAMB1) in the dHPC. Silencing of hippocampal LAMB1 exacerbates pain sensitivity and induces cognitive dysfunction. Further mechanistic analysis revealed that loss of hippocampal LAMB1 causes dysregulated Src/NR2A signaling cascades via interaction with integrin β1, leading to decreased Ca²⁺ levels in pyramidal neurons, which in turn orchestrates structural and functional plasticity and eventually results in exaggerated pain responses and cognitive deficits. In this study, we shed new light on the functional capability of hippocampal ECM LAMB1 in the modulation of neuropathic pain and comorbid cognitive deficits, and reveal a mechanism that conveys extracellular alterations to intracellular plasticity. Moreover, we identified hippocampal LAMB1/integrin β1 signaling as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neuropathic pain and related memory loss.
Animals ; Laminin/genetics* ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Neuralgia/metabolism* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology* ; Male ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries/metabolism* ; Extracellular Matrix/metabolism* ; Integrin beta1/metabolism* ; Pyramidal Cells/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Tiaodu Lijin Acupuncture combined with thumb-tack needling for subcutaeous embedding in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation.Methods A total of 98 patients with lumbar disc herniation were randomly divided into observation group and control group,49 cases in each group.The control group was treated with Tiaodu Lijin Acupuncture,and the observation group was treated with thumb-tack needling for subcutaeous embedding on the basis of the control group.Both groups were treated for one month.After one month of treatment,the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated.The changes of Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)score and Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)of pain were observed before and after treatment in the two groups,as well as the activity of lumbar spine and the expressions of ERK protein and ERK mRNA.The levels of β-endorphin(β-EP),neuropeptide Y(NPY),5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),substance P(SP),interleukin 6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α)and interleukin 1β(IL-1β)were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.The safety of the two groups was evaluated.Results(1)The total effective rate was 93.88%(46/49)in the observation group and 79.59%(39/49)in the control group.The curative effect of the observation group was superior to that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,the JOA and VAS scores of the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the improvement of JOA and VAS scores in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,the levels of β-EP,NPY,5-HT and SP in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the observation group was significantly superior to the control group in improving the levels of β-EP,NPY,5-HT and SP,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(4)After treatment,the levels of IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the levels of IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α in the observation group were significantly superior to those in the control group(P＜0.05).(5)After treatment,the lumbar flexion and extension activities of the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the improvement of lumbar flexion and extension activities in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(6)After treatment,the expressions of ERK protein and the level of ERK mRNA in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the observation group was significantly superior to the control group in improving the expressions of ERK protein and the level of ERK mRNA,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(7)The incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was 8.16%(4/49),while the control group was 4.08%(2/49).There was no significant difference between the observation group and the control group(P＞0.05).Conclusion Tiaodu Lijin Acupuncture combined with thumb-tack needling for subcutaeous embedding exerts certain effect in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation.It can significantly improve the pain symptoms of patients,reduce the levels of serum pain mediators and inflammatory factors,and improve lumbar function.The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of ERK signaling pathway.

Objective To explore the prediction of hospital indoor microbial concentration in air based on real-time indoor air environment monitoring data and machine learning algorithms.Methods Four locations in a hospital were selected as monitoring sampling points from May 23 to June 5,2022.The"internet of things"sensor was used to monitor a variety of real-time air environment data.Air microbial concentration data collected at each point were matched,and the gradient boosting decision tree(GBDT)was used to predict real-time indoor microbial concentra-tion in air.Five other common machine learning models were selected for comparison,including random forest(RF),decision tree(DT),k-nearest neighbor(KNN),linear regression(LR)and artificial neural network(ANN).The validity of the model was verified by the mean absolute error(MAE),root mean square error(RMSE)and mean absolute percentage error(MAPE).Results The MAPE value of GBDT model in the outpa-tient elevator room(point A),bronchoscopy room(point B),CT waiting area(point C),and nurses'station in the supply room(point D)were 22.49％,36.28％,29.34％,and 26.43％,respectively.The mean performance of the GBDT model was higher than that of other machine learning models at three sampling points and slightly lower than that of the ANN model at only one sampling point.The mean MAPE value of GBDT model at four sampling points was 28.64％,that is,the predicted value deviated from the actual value by 28.64％,indicating that GBDT model has good prediction results and the predicted value was within the available range.Conclusion The GBDT machine learning model based on real-time indoor air environment monitoring data can improve the prediction accuracy of in-door air microbial concentration in hospitals.

Objective To explore characteristics of clinical and imaging findings in patients with fat embolism syndrome.Methods From January 2021 to October 2022,clinical manifestations of 13 patients with fat embolism due to fracture or or-thopaedic surgery were retrospectively analyzed,including 11 males and 2 females,aged from 17 to 60 years old.Mental and respiratory abnormalities and changes in vital signs occurred after admission or after surgery,and patient's chest and brain imaging results were abnormal.The patient's mental and respiratory abnormalities,vital signs,chest and brain imaging results were continuously monitored.Results The main clinical manifestations of fat embolism syndrome were abnormal pulmonary respiration in 13 patients,abnormal central nervous function in 7 patients,and spotted rash in 2 patients.Chest CT showed dif-fuse distribution of ground glass shadows in 13 patients,and severe symptoms were"snowstorm".Nine patients with ground glass fusion consolidation,5 patients with multiple nodules and 4 patients accompanied by bilateral pleural effusion.Head CT findings of 5 patients were negative,and head MRI findings of 1 patient showed multiple T1WI low signal,T2WI high signal shadow,DWI high signal shadow,and"starry sky sign"in basal ganglia,radiative crown,hemioval center,thalamus,frontal parietal cortex and subcortex.Conclusion Fat embolism syndrome has a high mortality rate.Clinical manifestations of respira-tory system and nervous system are not specific,and the skin spot rash has a characteristic manifestation.The"blizzard"sign is the specific manifestation of chest X-ray and CT examination of fat embolism,and the"starry sky"sign is the typical manifesta-tion of diffusion-weighted sequence of brain MRI examination of fat embolism.

Objective: To assess the role of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI of the extraocular muscles (EOMs) for determining the activity of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) and treatment response to glucocorticoids (GCs). Materials and Methods: We prospectively enrolled 65 patients with TAO (41 active, 82 eyes; 24 inactive, 48 eyes). Twenty-two active patients completed the GC treatment and follow-up assessment, including 15 patients (30 eyes) and 7 patients (14 eyes), defined as responsive and unresponsive, respectively. Model-free (time to peak [TTP], area under the curve [AUC], and Slope max) and model-based (Ktrans , Kep, and Ve) parameters of EOMs in embedded simplified histogram analyses were calculated and compared between groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent predictors. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance. Results: Active patients exhibited significantly higher TTP at the 10th percentile (-10th), TTP-mean, and TTP at the 90th percentile (-90th); AUC-10th, AUC-mean, AUC-90th, and AUC-max; Ktrans -10th and Ktrans -mean; and Ve-10th, Ve-mean, Ve-90th, and Ve-max than inactive patients (P < 0.05). Responsive patients exhibited significantly lower TTP-min; higher Ktrans -mean and Ktrans -max; and higher Kep-10th, Kep-mean, and Kep-max than unresponsive patients (P < 0.05). TTP-mean and Ve-mean were independent variables for determining disease activity (P = 0.017 and 0.022, respectively). A combination of the two parameters could determine active TAO with moderate performance (AUROC = 0.687). TTP-min and Ktrans -mean were independent predictors of the response to GCs (P = 0.023 and 0.004, respectively), uniting which could determine the response to GCs with decent performance (AUROC = 0.821). Conclusion DCE-MRI-derived model-free and model-based parameters of EOMs can assist in the evaluation of TAO. In particular, TTP-mean and Ve-mean could be useful for determining the activity of TAO, whereas TTP-min and K trans -mean could be promising biomarkers for determining the response to GCs.

AIM To investigate the clinical effects of Xuanfei Jiejing Decoction combined with conventional treatment on patients with asthma of Wind-Phlegm Obstructing Lung Pattern.METHODS One hundred and fifty patients were randomly assigned into control group(75 cases)for 4-week intervention of conventional treatment,and observation group(75 cases)for 4-week intervention of both Xuanfei Jieshi Decoction and conventional treatment.The changes in clinical effects,TCM syndrome scores,airway inflammatory indices(ECP,IL-4,IgE),lung function indices(FVC,FEV1/FVC,PEF)and putum and mucus indices(4 h sputum volume,sputum viscosity,mucin 5AC)were detected.RESULTS The observation group demonstrated higher total effective rate than the control group(P＜0.05).After the treatment,the two groups displayed decreased TCM syndrome scores,airway inflammatory indices,putum and mucus indices(P＜0.05),and increased lung function indices(P＜0.05),especially for the observation group(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION For the patients with asthma of Wind-Phlegm Obstructing Lung Pattern,Xuanfei Jiejing Decoction combined with conventional treatment can reduce airway inflammatory levels,inhibit airway mucus secretion,improve lung functions,and alleviate clinical symptoms.