ObjectiveTo explore the correlation between the occurrence of cardiovascular events in rheumatoid arthritis（RA） and traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） syndrome. MethodsThe cross-sectional study selected 6713 RA patients from 122 centres nationwide， in which general information such as name， gender， age， height， body weight， and course of disease were collected by completing a questionnaire； patients were classified into eight types of syndrome according to the information of their four examinations，i.e. wind-dampness obstruction syndrome， cold-dampness obstruction syndrome， dampness-heat obstruction syndrome， phlegm-stasis obstruction syndrome， stasis-blood obstructing collateral syndrome， qi-blood deficiency syndrome， liver-kidney insufficiency syndrome， and qi-yin deficiency syndrome. According to the occurrence of cardiovascular events， they were divided into the occurrence group and the non-occurrence group， and the condition assessment data and laboratory examination indexes were recorded. The test of difference between groups was used to analyse the possible risk factors for the occurrence of RA cardiovascular events， and binary logistic regression was used to analyse the correlation between TCM syndromes and RA cardiovascular events. ResultsA total of 6713 RA patients were included， including 256 cases in occurrence group and 6457 in non-occurrence group. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in terms of height， gender， insomnia， appetite， white blood cell（WBC）， hemoglobin（HGB）， platelets（PLT）， rheumatoid factor（RF）， anti-cyclic peptide containing citrulline（CCP）， alanine aminotransferase（ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase（AST）， γ-glutamyl transpeptidase（GGT）， urea creatinine（CREA）， and glucose（GLU）（P＞0.05）. The TCM syndromes between groups showed significant statistic differences（P＜0.05）. Patients in occurrence group had longer disease duration， heavier body weight， and older age； more severe conditions such as disease activity（DAS-28）， number of painful joints（TJC）， number of swollen joints（SJC）， health questionnaire scores（HAQ）， visual analog scores（VAS）， restlessness， and fatigue； higher blood sedimentation rate（ESR）， low-density lipoprotein（LDL-C）， triglyceride（TG）， total cholesterol（TC）， D-Dimer， and lower high-density lipoprotein（HDL-C）（P＜0.05）. The distribution of syndrome types showed that dampness-heat obstruction syndrome accounted for the largest proportion of patients in both groups and was higher in RA cardiovascular events. Logistic regression analysis showed that the occurrence of RA cardiovascular events was strongly associated with dampness-heat obstruction syndrome［OR=5.937， 95%CI （4.434， 7.949）， P＜0.001］. ConclusionThe occurrence of RA cardiovascular events were associated with TCM syndromes， and the probability of cardiovascular events in the RA patients with dampness-heat obstruction syndrome was 5.937 times higher than patients with other TCM syndromes.

Pancreatic metastases originating in colon cancer are very rare clinically, and there are few reports on their imaging manifestations. In this paper, it improves the diagnosis of the disease by reporting a case of pancreatic head metastases and focusing on the appearance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Objective To explore association between childhood trauma,resilience and non-suicidal self-injury in adolescents.Methods One hundred and fifty-eight first-episode adolescent patients with mood disorders were selected and divided into NSSI group(n=94)and non-NSSI group(n=64)based on presence or absence of NSSI.The Hamilton depression scale(HAMD),Hamilton anxiety scale(HAMA),childhood trauma questionnaire(CTQ-SF)and Connor-Davidson resilience scale(CD-RISC)were used to evaluate the depression and anxiety symptoms,childhood trauma and resilience.Results There were more cases of younger age(16.17±1.67 vs.16.73±1.37),lower education level(30.9% vs.15.6% ),left behind experience(48.9% vs.29.7% ),school bullying(46.8% vs.25.0% ),suicide ideation(85.1% vs.37.5% )and history of attempted suicide(29.8% vs.6.3% )in the group with NSSI compared to those without NSSI.The HAMD score(27.99±5.94 vs.24.19±5.19),HAMA score(18.02±5.94 vs.15.45±4.99),CTQ total score(48.43±15.40 vs.41.97±9.75),emotional abuse score(12.77±6.06 vs.10.19±4.06),and emotional neglect score(11.40±5.34 vs.9.14±3.55)were higher in the group with NSSI,and the differences between the two groups were significant(P<0.05).The total scores of psychological resilience(39.83±10.27 vs.28.66±12.75),resilience(19.59±4.92 vs.12.28±6.47),strength(12.03±3.98 vs.9.99±4.67),and optimism(8.98±2.97 vs.6.47±3.73)in the group without NSSI were higher than those in the group with NSSI(P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that left behind experience(OR=4.494,95% CI:1.192-16.940),school bullying(OR=5.983,95% CI:1.329-26.945),suicidal ideation(OR=13.225,95% CI:2.908-60.146),history of attempted suicide(OR=16.769,95% CI:1.845-152.379),HAMD(OR=1.264,95% CI:1.046-1.626),emotional abuse(OR=1.327,95% CI:1.093-1.612),and resilience(OR=0.468,95% CI:0.266-0.823)were significantly associated with adolescent mood disorders with NSSI(P<0.05).Conclusion Left behind experience,campus bullying,suicidal ideation and attempted suicide,emotional abuse,degree of depression,and psychological resilience may be associated with NSSI behavior in adolescents with mood disorders.

Objective To investigate the risk factors for pulmonary infection in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF),and to establish a predictive model.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 585 ACLF patients who were admitted to Department of Infectious Diseases,The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University,from January 2009 to September 2022,and according to the condition of pulmonary infection after admission,they were divided into infection group with 213 patients and non-infection group with 372 patients.The independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups,and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups.The clinical data of these patients were collected.Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the risk factors for pulmonary infection in ACLF patients and establish a predictive model,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was plotted to assess the predictive value of the model.The Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to evaluate the degree of fitting of the model,and the ROC curve and the area under the ROC curve(AUC)were used to assess the predictive performance of the model.Results Among the 585 patients with ACLF,213 experienced pulmonary infection,with an infection rate of 36.41%.The multivariate logistic analysis showed that upper gastrointestinal bleeding(odds ratio[OR]=2.463,P=0.047),infection at other sites(OR=2.218,P=0.004),femoral vein catheterization(OR=2.520,P＜0.001),and combined use of two or more antibiotics(OR=2.969,P＜0.001)were risk factors for pulmonary infection in ACLF patients.These factors were included in the risk factor predictive model of Logit(P)=-1.869+0.901×upper gastrointestinal bleeding+0.755×infection at other sites+0.924×femoral vein catheterization+1.088×combined use of two or more antibiotics.The ROC curve analysis showed that the model had a good predictive value(Hosmer-Lemeshow χ2=3.839,P=0.698),with an AUC of 0.753(95%confidence interval:0.700-0.772).Conclusion There is a relatively high incidence rate of pulmonary infection in patients with ACLF,and upper gastrointestinal bleeding,spontaneous peritonitis,femoral vein catheterization,and combined use of two or more antibiotics are related risk factors.The model established based on these factors can effectively predict the onset of pulmonary infection in ACLF patients.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic etiology of a Chinese pedigree affected with pseudohypoparathyroidism. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples of the proband and his parents were collected and subjected to trio-whole exome sequencing (trio-WES). Candidate variants were verified among the pedigree and 50 randomly selected healthy individuals through analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism. Short tandem repeat (STR) linkage analysis was used to verify the parental origin of the pathogenic variants. RESULTS: Trio-WES and Sanger sequencing showed that the proband and his mother had both harbored a c.121C>G (p.His41Asp) variant of the GNAS gene, which was not found in other family members and the 50 healthy controls. The variant was not found in international databases. Based on guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, the variant was predicted to be likely pathogenic. CONCLUSION The novel c.121C>G variant of the GNAS gene probably underlay the disease in this pedigree. Above finding has enriched the spectrum of GNAS gene variants.
Female ; Humans ; Pedigree ; East Asian People ; Mothers ; Exome Sequencing ; Pseudohypoparathyroidism/genetics* ; Mutation ; China ; Chromogranins/genetics* ; GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs/genetics*

Objective:To analyze the pathogenic gene and prenatal diagnosis of a family with intellectual disability.Methods:Out of this family consisting of 17 members in three generations, four males had intellectual disability. The proband's elder sister (Ⅱ-7) visited Henan Provincial People's Hospital in Oct 2019 for genetic counseling at 8 weeks of gestation. After informed consent was obtained, peripheral blood samples of the family members were collected. The whole exome sequencing was performed on the genome DNA of the proband (Ⅱ-9, male) and his parents to screen the candidate variants for phenotype co-segregated analysis by Sanger sequencing. The expression vectors were constructed by homologous recombination and the splicing experiments were performed in vitro. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Sanger sequencing, and TA clone sequencing were used to analyze the effect of candidate variants on splicing. After the pathogenic variant was determined the proband's elder sister underwent prenatal diagnosis (Ⅲ-7) using goldeneyeTM20A genotyping system and Sanger sequencing. Results:A hemizygous synonymous variant of c.1302G>A (p. S434S) in DLG3 gene was found in the proband by whole exome sequencing, which was carried by his mother (Ⅰ-1) and co-segregated with the phenotype in other family patients. In vitro splicing experiment showed that c.1302G>A variant led to abnormal splicing of 88.24% transcripts, which further resulted in the reading frame shift and protein function impairment. The mutation was not detected in the fetus (Ⅲ-7), who was born alive later and showed no abnormal mental or behavioral development at the age of one and a half year and is still being followed up. Conclusions:The synonymous mutation c.1302G>A in DLG3 gene was the etiopathogenesis of X-linked intellectual disability in this family.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of medical cold patches in relieving burning pain and restoring skin homeostasis after hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether-based photodynamic therapy (HMME-PDT) for the treatment of port-wine stains.Methods:Forty patients with port-wine stains in the middle face, who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, were collected from Department of Dermatology, the Seventh Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from November 2019 to April 2021, and randomly and equally divided into test group and control group. Patients in the test group received cold compress with medical cold patches at treatment sites for 1 hour immediately after HMME-PDT, and then once a day for 3 consecutive days, while those in the control group received no special treatment and experienced a spontaneous recovery. Pain numeric rating scale (NRS) scores were recorded immediately, 0.5, 1 and 12 hours after HMME-PDT. Skin surface temperature was measured 10 minutes before, and immediately, 30 minutes and 1 hour after HMME-PDT. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and water content of the stratum corneum (WCSC) were measured 10 minutes before, and immediately, 24, 48 and 72 hours after HMME-PDT. The scabbing rate was calculated at weeks 1, 2 and 3 after HMME-PDT. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used for comparisons of observation indicators at different time points before and after treatment, and Bonferroni or Sidak′s test was used for comparisons between groups and within groups.Results:There were no significant differences in age, gender composition, TEWL or WCSC between the test group and control group before HMME-PDT (all P > 0.05) . Immediately after HMME-PDT, no significant difference in the NRS score was observed between the test group and control group (8.00 ± 1.17 vs. 8.20 ± 1.06, F = 0.30, P = 0.592) ; at 0.5 and 1 hour after HMME-PDT, the NRS score was significantly lower in the test group (6.25 ± 1.29, 4.80 ± 0.77, respectively) than in the control group (7.15 ± 0.99, 6.50 ± 0.69, respectively, both P < 0.05) . Immediately after HMME-PDT, the skin surface temperature in the test group and control group increased to 35.21 ± 1.333 ℃ and 35.64 ± 0.832 ℃, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two groups ( P = 0.062) ; at 30 and 60 minutes after HMME-PDT, the skin surface temperature in the test group was 29.11 ± 1.59 ℃ and 32.46 ± 1.07 ℃ respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group (35.01 ± 0.91 ℃, 34.86 ± 0.74 ℃, F = 212.63, 100.20, respectively, both P < 0.001) . At 48 and 72 hours after HMME-PDT, the TEWL in the test group was 12.44 ± 0.67 g·h -1·m -2 and 10.85 ± 0.81 g·h -1·m -2 respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group (14.61 ± 0.34 g·h -1·m -2, 14.93 ± 0.24 g·h -1·m -2, F = 195.87, 520.54, respectively, both P < 0.001) , while the WCSC was significantly higher in the test group (57.83 ± 9.29 AU, 52.64 ± 8.09 AU, respectively) than in the control group (43.87 ± 4.82 AU, 38.68 ± 5.33 AU, F = 24.41, 49.22, respectively, both P < 0.001) . At 1 week after HMME-PDT, scab formation was observed in 3 cases in the test group, as well as in 6 cases in the control group, and there was no significant difference in the scabbing rate between the two groups ( P = 0.451) . Conclusion:The application of medical cold patches after HMME-PDT for the treatment of port-wine stains can reduce skin surface temperature, exert analgesic effects, shorten duration of postoperative pain, and promote the recovery of skin permeability barrier function.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency introduction of L-vitamin C in patients with melasma.Methods:From March to June 2019, 20 patients with melasma were admitted to the Department of Dermatology, the Seventh Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, including 19 females and 1 male, aged 30-60 years, with an average age of 43.5 years. All patients were treated with 22 percent of L-vitamin C once a week, a total of 8 times of treatment and followed up for 12 weeks. Each subject was assessed with standardized clinical photo, skin tests (VISIA skin image analyzer and CK multifunctional skin tester) and patient self-assessment. In addition, the adverse reactions were recorded.Results:Physician evaluation and patient self-evaluation showed that skin symptoms were improved obviously after treatment. 90% of the subjects thought that all of the skin moisture, pores, fine lines, glossiness, and color spots were improved after 12 weeks. The skin texture, ultraviolet stain and the brown spots which were detected with VISIA skin image analyzer were all improved after one week and one month. Difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Skin glossiness was significantly improved, skin moisture content increased and melanin decreased, which were detected with CK multifunctional skin tester. The differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). But there was no significant change in transdermal water loss and red pigment index ( P>0.05). Conclusions:22% L-vitamin C can be used to treat melasma and improve photoaging safely without affecting skin barrier function.

Objective:To investigate the clinical significance of the primary tumor size in patients with endometrial carcinoma (EC).Methods:A total of 385 patients with EC admitted to Peking University People's Hospital from January 2006 to December 2016 with complete follow up data were selected, whose tumor size data before biopsy were retrospectively studied.Results:(1) The mean diameter of the primary tumor was (3.6±1.8) cm (range: 1-15 cm). And 48 cases were 0-<2 cm, 78 cases were 2-<3 cm, 92 cases were 3-<4 cm, 73 cases were 4-<5 cm, 94 cases were ≥5 cm. The diameter of the tumor was associated with age <60 years old, premenopause, CA 125≥35 kU/L, non-parturition, poor differentiation, stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ, depth of myometrial infiltration ≥1/2, cervical interstitial involvement, adnexal metastasis and lymph node metastasis (all P<0.05), but not associated with body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, pathology, lymph-vascular space invasion (all P>0.05). (2) Among the 334 patients underwent lymphadenectomy, 45 (13.5%, 45/334) cases with lymph node metastasis were observed. Stratified analysis showed that lymph node metastasis and recurrence rate of patients with EC gradually increased with the increase of tumor size ( P<0.05). Adopting 2, 3, 4 and 5 cm as cut-off values of tumor size, there were significant differences in the rate of lymph node metastasis and recurrence among them observed ( P<0.05), except for lymph node metastasis rate and recurrence rate when the cut-off value was 2 cm ( P>0.05). (3) An receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that a tumor diameter of 4.25 cm was the cut-off prognostic value to predict lymph node metastasis and recurrence of EC. Conclusions:Tumor diameter is significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and recurrence in patients with EC. Tumor size should be considered in determining the scope of surgery and adjuvant therapy.

Identification of significant biological relationships or patterns is central to many metagenomic studies.Methods that estimate association networks have been proposed for this pur-pose;however,they assume that associations are static,neglecting the fact that relationships in a microbial ecosystem may vary with changes in environmental factors(EFs),which can result in inaccurate estimations.Therefore,in this study,we propose a computational model,called the k-Lognormal-Dirichlet-Multinomial(kLDM)model,which estimates multiple association networks that correspond to specific environmental conditions,and simultaneously infers microbe-microbe and EF-microbe associations for each network.The effectiveness of the kLDM model was demonstrated on synthetic data,a colorectal cancer(CRC)dataset,the Tara Oceans dataset,and the American Gut Project dataset.The results revealed that the widely-used Spearman's rank correlation coefficient method performed much worse than the other methods,indicating the importance of separating samples by environmental conditions.Cancer fecal samples were then compared with cancer-free samples,and the estimation achieved by kLDM exhibited fewer associations among microbes but stronger associations between specific bacteria,especially five CRC-associated operational taxonomic units,indicating gut microbe translocation in cancer patients.Some EF-dependent associations were then found within a marine eukaryotic community.Finally,the gut microbial heterogeneity of inflammatory bowel disease patients was detected.These results demonstrate that kLDM can elucidate the complex associations within microbial ecosys-tems.The kLDM program,R,and Python scripts,together with all experimental datasets,are accessible at https://github.com/tinglab/kLDM.git.