Background::Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a severe and acute cardiovascular syndrome with high mortality among patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRDs). Accurate prediction and timely intervention play a pivotal role in enhancing survival rates. However, there is a notable scarcity of practical early prediction and risk assessment systems of PE in patients with AIIRD.Methods::In the training cohort, 60 AIIRD with PE cases and 180 age-, gender-, and disease-matched AIIRD non-PE cases were identified from 7254 AIIRD cases in Tongji Hospital from 2014 to 2022. Univariable logistic regression (LR) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were used to select the clinical features for further training with machine learning (ML) methods, including random forest (RF), support vector machines (SVM), neural network (NN), logistic regression (LR), gradient boosted decision tree (GBDT), classification and regression trees (CART), and C5.0 models. The performances of these models were subsequently validated using a multicenter validation cohort.Results::In the training cohort, 24 and 13 clinical features were selected by univariable LR and LASSO strategies, respectively. The five ML models (RF, SVM, NN, LR, and GBDT) showed promising performances, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.962-1.000 in the training cohort and 0.969-0.999 in the validation cohort. CART and C5.0 models achieved AUCs of 0.850 and 0.932, respectively, in the training cohort. Using D-dimer as a pre-screening index, the refined C5.0 model achieved an AUC exceeding 0.948 in the training cohort and an AUC above 0.925 in the validation cohort. These results markedly outperformed the use of D-dimer levels alone.Conclusion::ML-based models are proven to be precise for predicting the onset of PE in patients with AIIRD exhibiting clinical suspicion of PE.Trial Registration::Chictr.org.cn: ChiCTR2200059599.

Objective To explore the prognostic value of early relevant clinical indicators in hemoperfusion patients with severe acute organophosphorus poisoning(AOPP).Methods The clinical data of 91 patients with severe AOPP admitted to Baoding NO.2 Central Hospital from March 2018 to October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed,including gender,age,comorbidities,body mass index(BMI),amount of drug taken,time from drug taking to gastric lavage,number of hemoperfusion,white blood cell count(WBC),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),total bilirubin(TBil),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),serum cholinesterase(ChE)activity,lymphocyte count,pH value,arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide(PaCO2),arterial partial pressure of oxygen(PaO2),blood K+,Na+,Cl-and inflammatory cytokine levels,acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ(APACHE Ⅱ),Glasgow coma scale(GCS),the occurrence of complications.The patients were divided into the death group and the survival group according to the prognosis within 72 hours.Differences in early clinical indicators between the two groups were compared,independent risk factors affecting the short-term prognosis of AOPP patients were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression,and the predictive efficacy of each risk factor on the prognosis of patients was analyzed by plotting the receiver operator characteristic curve(ROC curve).Results The age of the death group was significantly higher than that of the survival group,the proportion of complicated with coronary heart disease,patients with dose of poison,time from poison to gastric perfusion,WBC,ALT,TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 levels at admission were significantly higher than those in survival group,and the number of hemoperfusion,TBil,ChE activity,PaCO2 were significantly lower than those in survival group(all P<0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that dose of poison,number of hemoperfusion,ALT,ChE activity and TNF-α were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in AOPP patients[odds ratio(OR)and 95％confidence interval(95％CI)were 1.865(1.032-3.370),2.282(1.406-3.703),2.522(1.258-5.057),2.843(1.036-7.802),2.077(1.107-3.897),respectively,all P<0.05];ROC curve analysis showed that dose of poison,number of hemoperfusion,ALT,ChE activity,TNF-α and the above combined indicators had certain predictive value for the prognosis of AOPP patients,and the combined detection had the highest predictive value,area under the ROC curve(AUC)=0.976,95％CI was 0.919-0.996.AOPP exhibited a sensitivity of 100.0％and a specificity of 85.7％,all P<0.05.With the increase of hemoperfusion times,compared with admission,the levels of WBC,ALT,AST,TBil,serum creatinine(SCr),ChE activity,TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 showed a significant decrease trend,while the levels of PaCO2 and PaO2 showed a significant increase trend(all P<0.05).Conclusion The early dose of poison,number of hemoperfusion,ALT,ChE activity,and TNF-α in severe AOPP patients can help predict short-term prognosis.

Objective:To discuss the regulatory effect of physiological tensile stress on the differentiation of chondrocytes,and to clarify the associated signaling pathway mechanism.Methods:The ATDC5 chondrocytes were cultured in vitro and subjected to physiological tensile stress by four-point bending cell mechanical loading device.Initially,the cells were divided into control group and tensile stress group(2 000 μstrain/2 h group),and further divided into different stress magnitudes(1 000,2 000,and 3 000 μstrain)for 2 h,and 2 000 μstrain for different duration time(1,2,and 4 h)groups;the cells without tensile stress were used as control group.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)method was used to detect the expression levels of type Ⅱ collagen(Col-Ⅱ),type Ⅹ collagen(Col-Ⅹ),aggregated proteoglycom(Aggrecan),sex-determining region Y-box protein 9(SOX9),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),Nel-like molecule tyep 1(Nell-1),Runt-related transcription factor 2(Runx2),Indian hedgehog(Ihh),patched homolog 1(Ptch-1),GLI family zinc finger protein 1(Gli-1),and hedgehog interacting protein 1(Hhip-1)mRNA in the cells in various groups;Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of Nell-1,Runx2,and Ihh proteins in the cells in various groups.The ATDC5 cells were divided into control group,cyclopamine group,tensile stress group,and cyclopamine + tensile stress group.RT-qPCR method was used to detect the expression levels of Nell-1,Ihh,Ptch-1,Gli-1,and Hhip-1 mRNA in the cells in various groups;Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of Nell-1 and Ihh proteins in the cells in various groups.Results:Compared with control group,the expression levels of Col-Ⅱ,Col-Ⅹ,Aggrecan,SOX9,VEGF,and PCNA mRNA in the cells in 2 000 μstrain/2 h group were significantly increased(P<0.01);after treated with 2 000 μstrain tensile stress for different duration time(1,2,and 4 h)or different tensile stresses(1 000,2 000,and 3 000 μstrain)for 2 h,compared with control group,the expression levels of Runx2 mRNA in the cells in other groups were increased with the prolongation of time or the increasing of tensile stress(P<0.01),and the expression levels of Nell-1,Ihh,Ptch-1,Gli-1,and Hhip-1 mRNA were gradually increased(P<0.01),the expression levels reached the peaking at 2 000 μstrain/2 h,and then decreased but remained significantly higher than that in control group(P<0.01).The Western blotting results showed that the expression levels of Nell-1,Runx2,and Ihh proteins in the cells were consistent with the change trend of mRNA expression levels.After pre-treated with cyclopamine,compared with control group,the expression levels of Ihh,Ptch-1,Gli-1,and Hhip-1 mRNA in the cells in cyclopamine group were significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the expression levels of Ihh,Ptch-1,Gli-1,and Hhip-1 mRNA in the cells in tensile stress and cyclopamine+tensile stress groups were significantly increased(P<0.01);compared with cyclopamine group,the expression levels of Nell-1,Ihh,Ptch-1,Gli-1,and Hhip-1 mRNA in the cells in cyclopamine+tensile stress group were significantly increased(P<0.01);compared with tensile stress group,the expression levels of Ihh,Ptch-1,Gli-1,and Hhip-1 mRNA in the cells in cyclopamine + tensile stress group were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Compared with control group,the expression level of Ihh protein in the cells in cyclopamine group was significantly decreased(P<0.01),but there was no significant difference in expression level of Nell-1 protein in the cells between control group and cyclopamine group(P>0.05),while the expression levels of Nell-1 and Ihh proteins in the cells in tensile stress group and cyclopamine + tensile stress group were significantly increased(P<0.01);compared with cyclopamine group,the expression levels of Nell-1 and Ihh proteins in the cells in tensile stress group and cyclopamine + tensile stress group were significantly increased(P<0.01);compared with tensile stress group,in the expression levels of Nell-1 and Ihh proteins in the cells in cyclopamine + tensile stress group had no significant differences(P>0.05).Conclusion:After stimulated with physiological tensile stress,Nell-1 can activate the Ihh signaling pathway upstream,and regulate the differentiation of the ATDC5 chondrocytes.

Humans ; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System/pathology* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging/methods* ; Patients ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/pathology* ; Brain/pathology*

Objective To explore the effect of 2-aminoethoxy-diphenyl borate(2-APB)on H2O2-induced chondro-cyte apoptosis and its mechanism.Methods The experiment was divided into control group,H2O2 group,2-APB group and H2O2+2-APB group.CCK-8 method was used to detect the cell viability of each group;The effect of 2-APB on the morphological changes of chondrocytes induced by H2O2 was observed under microscopy;TUNEL meth-od and flow cytometry were used to detect chondrocyte apoptosis;Flow cytometry was used to detect Lipid reactive oxygen species(ROS);Western blot was used to detect the protein expressions of Cleaved-PARP,p-PKCα and HIF-1α in H2O2-induced cells by 2-APB;Immunofluorescence was used to detect the fluorescent expression of HIF-1α in cells induced by H2O2 by PKCα inhibitor BIM-1.Results 2-APB inhibited H2O2-induced apoptosis in chon-drocytes,and the inhibitory effect was the most significant when the concentration of 2-APB was 100 pmol/L(F=235.80,P＜0.01);22-APB could inhibit the positive rate of H2O2-induced apoptosis of chondrocytes(F=114.80,P＜0.01)and the level of ROS(F=52.99,P＜0.01).and inhibited the expression of Cleaved-PARP(F=10.10,P＜0.05),p-PKCα(F=24.56,P＜0.05)and HIF-1α proteins(F=6.85,P＜0.05).The PKCα in-hibitor BIM-Ⅰ could inhibit the increase in HIF-1α fluorescence intensity caused by H2O2.Conclusion 2-APB can inhibit chondrocytes apoptosis induced by H2O2 through the PKCα/HIF-1α pathway and thus protect chondro-cytes.

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of Xianglian Huazhuo Decoction in treating chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) rats by detecting the protein and gene expressions of Wnt1, GSK-3β, β-catenin in Wnt signaling pathway.Methods:Totally 60 Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank group and model group. The CAG model was established by MNNG free drink combined with sodium salicylate gavage combined with abnormal hunger and satiety. After model establishment, the rats were randomly divided into model group, Xianglian Huazhuo Group and folic acid group. Folic acid group received the folic acid water solution 1.3 mg/kg for gavage; the Xianglian Huazhuo Group received Xianglian Huazhuo Decoction 15.5 g/kg for gavage; the blank group and the model group received the same volume of purified water for gavage. After 8 weeks of intervention, the general state and the atrophic degree of gastric mucosa were observed. The expressions of Wnt1, GSK-3β and β-catenin were detected by immunohistochemical method, and the mRNA expression of β-catenin expression was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction PCR.Results:The general condition of rats in Xianglian Huazhuo group was improved, the atrophy of gastric mucosa was improved, and the effect was better than that in folic acid group. Compared with the model group, the positive area ratio of Wnt1 decreased in Xianglian Huazhuo group ( P<0.05), and the positive area ratio of β-catenin decreased in folic acid group and Xianglian Huazhuo group ( P<0.05 or P<0.01), the positive area ratio of GSK-3β increased ( P<0.05), and the β-catenin mRNA level of Xianglian Huazhuo group decreased ( P<0.05). Conciusion 　Xianglian Huazhuo Decoction may increase GSK-3β by downregulating abnormal expression of Wnt1, promoting β-catenin to degrade normally, thereby blocking the abnormal activation of the Wnt signaling pathway, delaying or reversing CAG carcinogenesis to a certain extent, and exerting therapeutic effects.

Objective:To explore the potential mechanism of Tianshui Dichang Decoction in the treatment of ulcerative colitis through network pharmacology and experimental verification.Methods:The active components and targets of Tianshui Dichang Decoction were screened by TCMSP. The related targets of ulcerative colitis were screened by OMIM, GeneCard and TTD databases, and the effective component targets of Tianshui Dichang Decoction were intersected with the potential targets of ulcerative colitis. The PPI network was constructed by STRING database to screen the core targets, and the "Chinese materia medica-disease-active components-target" network was constructed by Cytoscape 3.8.0 software. GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were carried out using Metascape database. 48 mice were divided into control group, model group, mesalazine group (0.3 g/kg) and Tianshui Dichang Decoction low-, medium-, and high-dosage groups (7.5,15 and 30 g/kg) according to random number table method, with 8 mice in each group. Except the control group, the ulcerative colitis model was established in other groups. After 7 days of intervention with corresponding drugs, the disease activity index (DAI) was scored, the pathological changes of colon were observed by HE staining, and the expressions of IL-6, STAT3mRNA and protein in colon tissue were detected by PCR and Western blot methods.Results:Totally 127 active components in Tianshui Dichang Decoction and 560 targets of ulcerative colitis were obtained. 89 intersecting targets of Tianshui Dichang Decoction and ulcerative colitis were obtained, and the core targets included IL6, TNF, IL1B, AKT1, TP53, VEGFA, JUN, PTGS2, CXCL8, CCL2, STAT3, MMP9 and so on. Oxidative stress response, lipopolysaccharide metabolism, bacterial response, signal transduction and other biological processes were mainly involved, mainly through the cancer pathway, IL17, TNF, MAPK and other signal pathways to play a role in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. The results of experimental verification showed that the DAI score, the expressions of IL-6 and STAT3 protein in colon tissue of Tianshui Dichang Decoction medium- and high-dosage groups.decreased ( P<0.05). The levels of IL-6 and STAT3 mRNA in colon tissue decreased in the Tianshui Dichang Decoction low-, medium- and high-dosage groups.groups ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Tianshui Dichang Decoction has a certain therapeutic effect on UC through component-multitarget-signal pathway, and its mechanism is related to regulating IL-6/STAT3 signal pathway and inhibiting intestinal mucosal inflammation.

Objective:To serially characterize the myocardial perfusion, myocardial hibernation and left ventricular (LV) function as well as LV remodeling in progressive coronary artery stenosis in Chinese mini-pigs.Methods:In 8 Chinese mini-pigs (5 males, 3 females; age: 10 months), chronic progression of coronary stenosis and finally occlusion was established using Ameroid constrictor implantation at the 1 cm below the bifurcation of the first diagonal branch of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. Serial gated 99Tc m-methoxyisobutylisonitrile(MIBI) SPECT/CT, gated 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging and coronary angiography (CAG) were performed before surgery and at the 1st, 4th and 8th week after surgery. Longitudinally, total perfusion defect (TPD), LV ejection fraction (LVEF), LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), LV end-systolic volume (LVESV), summed motion score (SMS), summed thickening score (STS) and hibernating myocardium (HM) were analyzed. Repeated measures analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test and Bonferroni correction method were used to analyze data. Results:One mini-pig died of infection after the Ameroid constrictor implantation. In the remaining 7 mini-pigs, TPD was progressively increased with time prolonged (0, 12.0%(0, 33.0%), (41.1±23.7)% and (49.3±24.5)%; H=17.03, P=0.001); Compared with HM before the surgery (100%), HM was gradually reduced from the 1st (21.0%(6.0%, 100%)) to the 4th (18.0%(3.0%, 33.0%)) week after surgery, and then increased to the 8th week after surgery ((23.0±15.4)%; H=13.09, P=0.004), but there was no significant difference between the 1st and 4th week, or between the 4th and 8th week after surgery (both P>0.05 (Bonferroni correction method)). Accordingly, LVEF gradually decreased ((73.7±8.4)%, (63.7±19.1)%, (53.7±14.6)% and (49.9±15.4)%; F=6.22, P=0.004). LVEDV (9.0(6.0, 21.0), (31.4±16.3), (32.9±17.4) and (36.4±17.5) ml; H=8.58, P=0.035)and LVESV ((3.8±3.2), (15.9±15.3), 12.0(10.0, 17.0)and (19.3±10.9) ml; H=10.51, P=0.015) gradually increased. SMS and STS continuously increased as well ( H values: 16.49, 13.33, P values: 0.001, 0.004). Conclusions:With the progression of coronary artery stenosis to occlusion, myocardial perfusion is gradually decreased, while the global and regional LV function, LV remodeling are gradually aggravated, and HM is gradually reduced. After the chronic coronary artery occlusion, myocardial perfusion has a trend to be improved and HM is gradually recovered.

Objective:To analyze the causes of hypoglycemia in elderly patients after resection of gastrointestinal polyps.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the data of 120 elderly patients who underwent gastrointestinal polypectomy in our hospital from November 2019 to November 2020, and analyzed the reasons for postoperative hypoglycemia.Results:(1)There were significant differences between the hypoglycemic group and the non-hypoglycemic group in age, diabetes, preoperative fluid replacement, preoperative fasting time, preoperative waiting time, preoperative emotional instability, and preoperative night sleep time(all P<0.05). (2)Logistic regression analysis showed that postoperative hypoglycemia was associated with age >70 years( OR=4.266, 95% CI: 1.120-16.162); Diabetes mellitus( OR=4.094, 95% CI: 1.311-12.773); No fluid was taken before surgery( OR=10.923, 95% CI=2.882-41.386); Preoperative fasting time ≥10 h( OR=9.042, 95% CI: 2.571-31.645); Preoperative wait time ≥12 h( OR=7.035, 95% CI: 1.855-26.651); Preoperative emotional instability( OR=4.25, 95% CI: 1.263-14.370); The preoperative night sleep time <6 h( OR=5.952, 95% CI: 1.760-19.992)was closely related(all P<0.05). Conclusions:There are many reasons for the occurrence of hypoglycemia in elderly patients after gastrointestinal polyp removal.Therefore, evaluation work should be done and preventive measures should be taken to reduce the occurrence of hypoglycemia and ensure the effectiveness and safety of treatment for patients.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of elastography in the differential diagnosis of benign versus malignant testicular lesions. Methods: The PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were searched for relevant studies. The diagnostic accuracy of elastography was evaluated using pooled sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio, post-test probability, diagnostic odds ratio, and by summarizing the area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) curve. Results: Seven studies with 568 lesions were included. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 87% (95% confidence interval [CI], 81% to 92%) and 81% (95% CI, 65% to 90%), respectively. The pooled estimates of the positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio were 4.48 (95% CI, 2.37 to 8.47), 0.16 (95% CI, 0.10 to 0.25), and 28.11 (95% CI, 11.39 to 69.36), respectively. The area under the HSROC curve was 90% (95% CI, 88% to 93%). Conclusion Elastography is useful for assessing the stiffness of testicular lesions and for differentiating benign from malignant lesions. Elastography can be an effective supplement to conventional ultrasonography.