1.Bioinformatics analysis based on pelvic organ prolapse related aging genes of GEO Database and LASSO regression algorithm
Minqi NING ; Yong HE ; Bingshu LI ; Guotao HUANG ; Xiaohu ZUO ; Zhihan ZHAO ; Wuyue HAN ; Li HONG
Journal of Jilin University(Medicine Edition) 2024;50(1):178-187
Objective:To screen the aging genes closely associated with pelvic organ prolapse(POP)by bioinformatics techniques,and to clarify the potential clinical significance and value of key genes.Methods:Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)Database was used to download the datasets GSE53868 and GSE151188 for POP-related genes with the keyword"pelvic organ prolapse".The aging-related genes were obtained from Aging Atlas,CellAge,and the Human Ageing Genomic Resources(HAGR)Databases;the intersection of genes related with POP in two groups provided a list of differentially expressed genes(DEGs)associated with aging in POP;gene Set Enrichment Analysis(GSEA)was conducted with R software version 4.2.1;Gene Ontology(GO)functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)signaling pathway enrichment analysis of DEGs were conducted by the Database for Annotation,Visualization and Integrated Discovery(DAVID);the protein-protein interaction(PPI)network was constructed with Cytoscape 3.9.1 software;the top 10 Hub genes were selected by cytoHubba plugin;the infiltration of 22 types of immune cells in the patients in POP group and control group was analyzed by CIBERSORT deconvolution method using R software;the key genes were further screened by LASSO regression algorithm;the correlation and diagnostic efficacy between key genes and immune cell infiltration were analyzed.Results:From the Aging Atlas,CellAge,and HAGR Databases,724 aging-related genes were identified.Intersection with the POP expression profile yielded an aging gene expression matrix related to POP containing 624 genes,and 29 POP-related DEGs were identified after differential analysis,including 2 upregulated genes and 27 downregulated genes.The GSEA results showed that the upregulated pathways were mainly related to diabetes and cellular senescence,whereas the downregulated pathways included Alzheimer's disease and hypoxia-inducible factor-1(HIF-1)signaling pathways.The GO functional enrichment analysis mainly enriched in the biological processes such as the response of the cells to lipopolysaccharide,inflammatory response,and negative regulation of cell proliferation.The KEGG signaling pathway enrichment analysis mainly enriched in interleukin-17(IL-17),tumor necrosis factor(TNF),and nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)signaling pathways.The PPI network analysis got 10 Hub genes including interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-1B(IL-1B),prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS2),and NF-kappa-B inhibitor alpha(NFKBIA).The CIBERSORT deconvolution method results showed a relatively higher infiltration proportion of neutrophils and activated mast cells in the patients in POP group,the activated mast cells had a positive correlation with most of the DEGs(r>0.5)and the macrophages had a significant positive correlation with IL-1B(r>0.6).The key genes Jun D proto-oncogene(JUND),Snail homolog 1(SNAI1),amphiregulin(AREG),Lamin A/C(LMNA),and superoxide dismutase 2(SOD2)selected by LASSO regression analysis had high diagnostic efficacies,and the area under receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC)(AUC)were all greater than 0.75.Conclusion:During the aging process,the genes such as JUND,SNAI1,AREG,LMNA,and SOD2 may participate in the pathophysiology of POP through various pathways,including inflammation-related pathways,transcription regulation,and affecting collagen secretion and metabolism,thereby influence the connective tissue support function and promote the occurrence and development of POP.
2.Application of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in the Evaluation of Left Atrium
Xinna ZHANG ; Weishu HOU ; Honglin YU ; Lingling ZHAO ; Panpan YANG ; Yuqi JIANG ; Xiaohu LI
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging 2024;32(1):100-104
As the continuation of the left ventricle,the left atrium and left ventricle interact and play an important role in the function of the whole heart.At present,there are many techniques to evaluate the atrial structure and function,but the left atrial structure is complex and the myocardium is thin,which brings some challenges to the relevant evaluation.This paper introduces the parameters,precautions and relevant clinical applications in the process of left atrial evaluation from the aspects of myocardial strain and delayed enhancement.
3.Copper starvation induces autophagy-mediated EZH2 degradation to enhance anti-tu-mor immunity in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Lin XIAOHU ; Zhao ZHANG ; Yu ZHONGLIN ; Cao WEI
Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology 2024;51(5):224-230
Objective:To examined the role of copper starvation in oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC),along with the molecular functions and mechanisms of SLC31A1 in these cells.Methods:Initially,SLC31A1 was silenced to induce a copper starvation environment.Sub-sequently,we evaluated the effects of copper starvation on oral squamous cell carcinoma cells using the CCK-8 assay,cell scratch assay,and subcutaneous tumor formation in nude mice.In addition,changes in autophagy and EZH2 expression levels in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells were detected after SLC31A1 silencing.Lactate dehydrogenase activity was assayed to determine its impact on natural killer(NK)cell cytotoxicity after SLC31A1 silencing.Results:Silencing of SLC31A1 significantly inhibited the proliferation,migration,and subcutaneous tu-mor formation ability of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.Furthermore,silencing SLC31A1 mediated EZH2 degradation and increased NK cell infiltration.Conclusions:Copper starvation can regulate the proliferation,migration,and subcutaneous tumor formation ability of oral squamous cell carcinoma and increase NK cell infiltration by modulating EZH2 expression.
4.Application of cardiac magnetic resonance quantitative techniques in assessing myocardial involvement in new onset and longstanding systemic lupus erythematosus patients
Zhen WANG ; Wei DENG ; Jing CAI ; Fangyue CHENG ; Ren ZHAO ; Hongmin SHU ; Zongwen SHUAI ; Yongqiang YU ; Xiaohu LI
Chinese Journal of Rheumatology 2024;28(8):551-557
Objective:To investigate the application of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) quantitative techniques in evaluating myocardial involvement differences between new onset and longstanding systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.Methods:From August 2020 to April 2023, 14 new onset and 15 longstanding SLE patients treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were prospectively included as the study group. Additionally, 18 age-, gender-, body surface area-, and body mass index-matched healthy volunteers were included as the control group. Clinical baseline data, electrocardiograms, and CMR results including left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-systolic volume index (LVESVI), left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI), cardiac index (CI), left ventricular stroke volume index (LVSVI), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), myocardial strain, native T 1 values, and T 2 values were collected. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) or Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare the quantitative parameters among the three groups. Bonferroni correction was applied for pairwise group comparisons. Results:The native T 1 values [1 114.50 (1 089.33, 1 150.39) ms, 1 085.32 (1 051.31, 1 129.75) ms] and T 2 values [(55.9±3.4) ms, (53.3±1.5) ms] of new onset and longstanding SLE patients were higher than those of the healthy control group [native T 1 values 1052.62 (1024.75, 1077.59) ms, H=17.72, P<0.001; T 2 values (51.2±1.3) ms, F=18.70, P<0.001]. The T 2 values of the new onset SLE group was higher than that of the longstanding SLE group ( P<0.05). The LVEDVI[86.87 (80.80, 93.55) ml/m 2], LVSVI [54.63 (50.42, 59.03) ml/m 2], and LVMI [48.39 (41.65, 53.26) g/m 2] of the new onset SLE group were higher than those of the control group [LVEDVI: 71.11 (65.80, 81.28) ml/m 2, Z=3.02, P=0.003; LVSVI: 42.17 (40.36, 51.33) ml/m 2, Z=2.76, P=0.006; LVMI: 38.48 (35.22, 43.83) g/m 2, Z=3.10, P=0.002]. The LVEDVI and LVSVI of the new onset SLE group were also higher than those of the longstanding SLE group [LVEDVI: 73.30 (69.87, 84.71) ml/m 2, Z=1.97, P=0.048; LVSVI: 45.53 (42.28, 50.98) ml/m 2, Z=2.34, P=0.020]. Conclusion:Myocardial involvement is more severe in new onset SLE patients, whereas acute myocardial injury is alleviated in longstanding SLE patients. Therefore, early detection of cardiac involvement in SLE patients is crucial for improving prognosis.
5.Application and Insights of Artificial Intelligence Technology in International Healthcare
Yihan RUAN ; Wei WANG ; Xiaohu MENG ; Tao YUN ; Ayan MAO ; Minjie ZHAO ; Wuqi QIU
Journal of Medical Informatics 2024;45(8):41-44
Purpose/Significance Based on international cases,the paper analyzes the application development of artificial intelli-gence(Al)technology in the medical field,and provides references for improving the application of AI technology in the medical field in China.Method/Process The literature is searched on CNKI,and institutions with high influence in the international health technology industry are selected according to the exclusion criteria for further analysis.Result/Conclusion A total of 8 AI medical technologies relat-ed to health technology industries or teams in 7 countries are selected and included,based on the convenience and advantages brought by them,to provide references to explore and improve the research and application of AI in the medical field.
6.Artificial intelligence knowledge graph and image classification for quality control of chest posterior-anterior position X-ray radiograph
Qian WANG ; Liangliang SONG ; Xiao HAN ; Ming LIU ; Biao ZHANG ; Shibo ZHAO ; Zongyun GU ; Lili HUANG ; Chuanfu LI ; Xiaohu LI ; Yongqiang YU
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2024;40(6):922-927
Objective To observe the value of artificial intelligence(AI)knowledge graph and image classification for quality control(QC)of chest posterior-anterior position X-ray radiograph(abbreviated as chest film).Methods Totally 9 236 chest films from 595 medical institutions in Anhui province imaging cloud platform were retrospectively enrolled.QC knowledge graph containing 21 classification labels were constructed.Firstly,QC of chest films based on the above knowledge graph were performed by 10 technicians for 2 rounds of single person and 1 round of multi person,and the results were recorded as A,B and C,respectively.Then AI algorithms were used to classify and evaluate based on knowledge graph,and the result was recorded as D.Finally,a QC expert reviewed results C and D to determine the final QC results and taken those as references to analyze the efficiency of the above 4 QC.Results The area under the curve(AUC)of AI algorithm for QC of chest films were all ≥0.780,with an average value of 0.939.The average precision of QC for chest films of A,B,C and D was 81.15%,85.47%,91.65%and 92.21%,respectively.Conclusion AI knowledge graph and image classification technology could be effectively used for QC of chest posterior-anterior position X-ray radiograph.
7.Effects of Different Acceleration Factors of Compressed Sensing on the Imaging Quality of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Cine Sequences
Linlin WANG ; Kewu HE ; Ren ZHAO ; Honglin YU ; Ruoyu SUN ; Yinfeng QIAN ; Xiaohu LI ; Yongqiang YU
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging 2024;32(6):581-586
Purpose To explore the effect of compressed sensing(CS)technique with different acceleration factors on the quality of cardiac magnetic resonance cine sequences and feasibility of clinical application.Materials and Methods From January to July 2021,40 healthy volunteers were prospectively recruited for cardiac magnetic resonance cine imaging in Hefei First People's Hospital.Four scan protocols of volunteers were designed:SENSE 2 and CS-cine sequences with acceleration factors of 3,4 and 8.The imaging slices include four chamber heart,short axis heart,left ventricular two chamber heart and three chamber heart.Subjective score of image quality,left ventricular cardiac function and 16-segment myocardial thickness of SENSE 2 and CS3,CS4 and CS8 were compared and analyzed.Results Taking SENSE 2 image as the standard score of 5,the scores of CS3 and CS4 were above 3,and the scores of CS8 were below 3.There was no significant difference between the scores of four chamber heart and short axis heart images of CS3 and SENSE 2 sequence(all P>0.05).There were statistically significant differences in the subjective scores of image quality between the left ventricular two chamber heart and three chamber heart groups of each sequence(all P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in left ventricular function(left ventricular ejection fraction,left ventricular end systolic volume,left ventricular end diastolic volume,left ventricular stroke volume,left ventricular end-diastolic mass)(F=0.027,0.182,0.057,0.140,0.545)and myocardial thickness(F=0.052-7.366)among the four imaging schemes(all P>0.05).Conclusion Cardiac cine based on compressed sensing technology have good application prospects.With the increase of acceleration factors,the scanning time gradually decreases,and the corresponding image quality will also decrease.When the acceleration factor is 4,that is,the scanning time of the conventional cine sequence is reduced by 50%,the left ventricular function and myocardial thickness can still be accurately measured,and the image quality basically meets the diagnostic requirements.
8.Influence of Spin-Lock Frequency on Quantitative Assessment of Myocardial T1ρ Mapping
Caiyun HAN ; Wei DENG ; Ren ZHAO ; Hongmin SHU ; Zhen WANG ; Jinxiu YANG ; Yongqiang YU ; Xiaohu LI
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging 2024;32(7):731-735
Purpose To explore the influence of different spin-locking frequencies on T1ρ values based on a 3.0T MR system.Materials and Methods Thirty-eight healthy adult volunteers underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from July to September 2023.T1ρ mapping and short-axis cine imaging with steady-state free precession sequences were performed with 3.0T MR system.T1ρ mapping sequence in three short-axis slices with three spin-lock frequencies at the amplitude of 5 Hz,300 Hz,400 Hz,and 500 Hz was scanned,respectively.T1ρ relaxation times and myocardial fibrosis index were quantified for each slice and each myocardial segment,the difference in T1ρ of different spin-locking frequencies and myocardial fibrosis index was analyzed using one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance method.Results T1ρ of 5 Hz,300 Hz,400 Hz,and 500 Hz were(33.9±2.8)ms,(43.4±2.1)ms,(45.4±2.6)ms and(46.5±2.4)ms,respectively;and T1ρ values showed a significant progressive increase from the low spin-lock frequency to the high spin-lock frequency of the heart(300 Hz vs.400 Hz:P<0.001;300 Hz vs.500 Hz:P<0.001;400 Hz vs.500 Hz:P=0.043).In addition,the measured myocardial fibrosis index at 300 Hz,400 Hz and 500 Hz were(9.4±2.2)ms,(11.3±2.9)ms and(12.6±2.7)ms,respectively.Statistical analysis underscored significant variations among these measurements(300 Hz vs.400 Hz:P<0.001;300 Hz vs.500 Hz:P<0.001;400 Hz vs.500 Hz:P=0.033).Conclusion In this prospective study,myocardial T1ρ values for the specific cardiac magnetic resonance setting are provided,and we found that spin-lock frequency can affect the T1ρ values.
9.Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Tissue Tracking Technology in Biventricular Function Assessment of Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
Shutian AN ; Wei DENG ; Hao QIAN ; Caiyun HAN ; Ren ZHAO ; Yongqiang YU ; Xiaohu LI
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging 2024;32(11):1123-1128
Purpose To explore the changes in biventricular volume and mass in chronic kidney disease(CKD)patients with preserved ejection fraction using cardiac magnetic resonance(CMR),and evaluate cardiac function using tissue-tracking strain analysis.Materials and Methods The retrospective analysis of 40 CKD patients without symptoms of cardiovascular disease,diabetes and the estimated glomerular filtration rate<60 ml/(min·1.73 m2)who were treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from October 2020 to June 2023 and 25 age-and gender-matched healthy volunteers.All participants underwent 1.5T CMR scans to calculate left and right ventricular function,myocardial strain and native T1 and T2 values,and differences in various imaging parameters between the two groups were compared.Results The native T1 value[(1 109.6±35.9)ms]and T2 value[(58.1±2.9)ms]of CKD patients were significantly higher than those in control group[(1 046.3±15.9)ms,(53.3±2.3)ms](t=8.296,6.916,both P<0.001).The left ventricular end-diastolic volume index,left ventricular end-systolic volume index,left ventricular mass index,right ventricular end-diastolic volume index,right ventricular end-systolic volume index and right ventricular mass index of CKD patients were significantly increased compared with the control group(t=3.233,3.350,5.751,7.746,5.937,2.363,all P<0.05),while the left and right ventricular strain parameters,left ventricular global longitudinal strain,left ventricular global circumferential strain,left ventricular global radial strain,right ventricular global longitudinal strain,right ventricular global circumferential strain and right ventricular global radial strain were significantly decreased(t=9.506,9.072,-10.603,10.496,11.574,-4.018,all P<0.001),and the estimated glomerular filtration rate exhibited significant correlations with left ventricular global longitudinal strain(r=-0.636),left ventricular global radial strain(r=0.688),right ventricular global longitudinal strain(r=-0.513),right ventricular global circumferential strain(r=-0.827)and right ventricular global radial strain(r=0.514)(all P<0.001).Conclusion CMR can quantitatively assess myocardial fibrosis and edema in patients with CKD,and tissue tracking strain analysis can detect myocardial motion abnormalities before changes in ventricular ejection fraction,offering value in the early detection of cardiac involvement in CKD patients..
10.Efficacy and safety of half-dose rituximab in the treatment of 23 cases with lupus nephritis
Yurong ZHAO ; Kunpeng LI ; Xiaohu DENG ; Xiaofei LIU ; Simin LIAO ; Jinshui YANG ; Xi ZHENG ; Jianglin ZHANG ; Feng HUANG ; Jian ZHU
Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine 2023;62(1):84-87
The study aimed to analyze the efficacy and safety of rituximab in the treatment of 23 cases of lupus nephritis and explore the prospect of half-dose rituximab in lupus nephritis treatment. Twenty-three patients with lupus nephritis hospitalized in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital from May 2013 to December 2021 were selected. Eighteen patients received rituximab 375 mg/m 2 on the first and 14th days, 5 patients received 500 mg of rituximab on the first and 14th days, and rituximab was used as needed 6 months later. Methylprednisolone (80-120 mg) was given together with rituximab. Afterward, 1 mg/kg prednisone was used for 4 weeks, which was progressively tapered to maintenance doses or discontinued. B lymphocyte level, renal function, 24-h urine protein level, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity index 2000 (SLEDAI2K) score before and after treatment were recorded. The efficacy and adverse reactions were analyzed. The results showed that 11 patients suffered from renal insufficiency [creatinine (162.7±58.6) μmol/L ] at baseline, while the creatinine level of 9 patients returned to normal 12 months after the treatment [ (66.3±10.1)μmol/L ]. Normal renal function of the other 12 patients was maintained during treatment. After 12 months, the 24-h urine protein level decreased from 4.00 (2.00,6.80) g in the baseline period to 0.10 (0.08,0.40) g. SLEDAI2K score decreased from 22 (18,26) in the baseline period to 3 (0,6) 12 months after the treatment. The B lymphocyte level reached 0.00 (0.00,0.01)% at 3 months. Of 23 patients, 13 patients achieved complete remission, and 7 patients achieved partial remission after 6 months of rituximab treatment. Five patients experienced adverse reactions related to rituximab, including 1 case of transfusion reaction, 1 case of perioral herpes with pulmonary infection, and 3 cases of decreased IgG levels. Therefore, rituximab regimen used in this study can be an effective treatment strategy for lupus nephritis.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail