The ratio of high aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase: an independent risk factor associated with poor prognosis in IgA nephropathy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratio (AAR) and the prognosis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). METHODS: Clinical, pathological and follow-up data of 271 patients with IgAN from January 1, 2013, to July 31, 2023, were collected. A 50% decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was used as renal composite end point events. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to predict the composite end point events by AAR. The optimal cutoff value of 1.24 was determined, and patients were allocated to high AAR and low AAR groups. Kaplan‒Meier (K‒M) curves and Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the predictive effect of AAR on renal composite end point events. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 29 months, 39 patients achieved renal composite end point events. Among them, 9 and 30 patients in the low and high AAR groups achieved renal composite end point events, respectively, with a significant difference (P < 0.001). After adjustment for confounding factors, AAR was found to be an independent prognostic factor for renal composite end point events (HR = 3.283, 95% CI: 1.489-7.238, P = 0.003). Kaplan‒Meier analysis showed that high AAR was associated with achieving renal composite end point events in patients with IgAN. Moreover, the clinical features in the high AAR group were more severe. Further subgroup analysis showed that high AAR had a better predictive effect in patients with more severe clinicopathological manifestations. CONCLUSION: AAR is an independent prognostic factor in patients with IgAN.

Global prevalence of restless legs syndrome among hemodialysis patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common complaint in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). Despite the fact that the estimated prevalence of RLS among HD patients is widely reported, these results varied significantly in the relevant literature. Due to this limitation, the aim of this study was to determine the global prevalence of RLS among HD patients. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses 2020 statement. We searched the electronic databases: Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Database, and Weipu Database. A random effects model was employed to calculate pooled prevalence rates. RESULTS: The global pooled prevalence of RLS in HD patients was 27.2% (95% CI: 24.8-29.7). Stratified analyses demonstrated that included studies with sample size <100 had the highest pooled prevalence of RLS. The prevalence of RLS using clinical interviews and questionnaires was 28.7% (95% CI: 25.2-32.2) and 25.9% (95% CI: 22.8-29.1), respectively. RLS prevalence is higher in females (29.7%, 95% CI: 26.2-33.2) HD patients than in males (23.5%, 95% CI: 20.9-26.0), and the African region has the highest prevalence in the world when the diagnostic criteria were restricted to the 2003 version of International RLS Study Group criteria, the prevalence of RLS was highest (28.9%, 95% CI: 25.9-31.9). CONCLUSION: Our results revealed a high RLS prevalence in HD patients worldwide. However, the prevalence of RLS among HD patients varied significantly based on sample size, data collection method, gender, diagnostic criteria, and geographical region.

The Optimal Layer for Breast Augmentation in an Autologous Fat Grafting Murine Model.

BACKGROUND: Fat grafting is an effective procedure for breast augmentation, but the variations in this technique result in unpredictable fat retention. Therefore, animal models are needed to simulate the operation and the optimal layer for fat retention. OBJECTIVES: An autologous fat grafting murine model for breast augmentation was built to detect a new layer for fat grafting in the chest. METHODS: The left side of the female rat inguinal fat flap was harvested, dissected into small pieces, and autotransplanted into 3 different layers of the breast. Retention rate and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining were measured at 1, 4, 8 12, and 16 weeks. Immunofluorescence staining was utilized to detect adipocytes and endothelial cells, and immunohistochemistry was conducted to evaluate the expression of integrins ß1 and α6. RESULTS: The volume of fat grafts slightly grew in the intramuscular and submuscular layers at Week 4. Retention rates in the subcutaneous layer and submuscular layer were significantly higher than the intramuscular layer at Week 16. H&E staining showed that oil cysts existed in the subcutaneous layer throughout the 16 weeks. At the terminal time point, well-vascularized mature adipose structures were observed in intramuscular and submuscular layers, with smaller adipocytes in intramuscular layers. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that integrin ß1 was identically expressed in every adipocyte in all the layers, whereas integrin α6 selectively expressed in bigger adipocytes in the intramuscular layer. The expression intensities of integrin ß1 and α6 were significantly higher in the intramuscular layer than in the subcutaneous and submuscular layers. CONCLUSIONS: The angiogenic and moderate mechanical environment makes the submuscular layer the optimal layer for fat retention.

Nrf2 differentially regulates osteoclast and osteoblast differentiation for bone homeostasis.

Nuclear factor erythroid-derived factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a master regulator of antioxidant response and protects cells from excessive oxidative stress. Nrf2 emerges as a prospective therapeutic target for metabolic bone disorders, in which the balance between osteoblastic bone formation and osteoclastic bone resorption is disrupted. However, the molecular mechanism through which Nrf2 modulates bone homeostasis remains unclear. In this study, we compared the differences in Nrf2-mediated antioxidant response and ROS regulation in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, both in vitro and in vivo. Findings indicated a close connection between the Nrf2 expression and its related antioxidant response with osteoclasts than osteoblasts. We next pharmacologically manipulated the Nrf2-mediated antioxidant response during osteoclast or osteoblast differentiation. Nrf2 inhibition enhanced osteoclastogenesis, while its activation suppressed it. In contrast, osteogenesis decreased irrespective of whether Nrf2 was inhibited or activated. These findings highlight the distinct ways in which the Nrf2-mediated antioxidant response regulates osteoclast and osteoblast differentiation, thereby contributing to the development of Nrf2 targeted therapies for metabolic bone diseases.

[Correlation between galectin-3 level in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and cellular immunity in children with refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation of galectin-3 level in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) load and cellular immunity of neutrophils and macrophages in the airway in children with refractory MP pneumonia (RMPP). METHODS: A total of 64 children with RMPP who were hospitalized from January 2013 to January 2017 were enrolled. In addition to the conservative medical treatment, all the 64 children with RMPP were given bronchoalveolar lavage in the acute stage (5-7 days after admission) and 48 out of the 64 children were given bronchoalveolar lavage in the recovery stage (10-14 days after admission). Four milliliters of BALF of the affected lung lobe or segment were collected. ELISA was used to measure the level of galectin-3 in BALF supernatant. RT-PCR was used to measure MP load. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to measure the percentage of neutrophils and macrophages. Six children with bronchial foreign bodies were enrolled as the control group. RESULTS: The RMPP group had a significantly higher level of galectin-3 in BALF in both the acute and recovery stages than the control group (P<0.01), and the level of galectin-3 in the acute stage was significantly higher than in the recovery stage (P<0.01). The RMPP group had a significantly higher percentage of neutrophils in BALF in both the acute and recovery stages than the control group (P<0.01), and the percentage of neutrophils in the acute stage was significantly higher than in the recovery stage (P<0.01). The RMPP group had a significantly lower percentage of macrophages in BALF in both the acute and recovery stages than the control group (P<0.01), but there was no significant difference in the percentage of macrophages between the acute and recovery stages (P>0.05). The RMPP group had a significantly higher MP load in BALF in both the acute and recovery stages than the control group (P<0.01), and the MP load in the acute stage was significantly higher than in the recovery stage (P<0.01). In the children with RMPP, galectin-3 level in BALF in the acute stage was positively correlated with MP load and the percentage of neutrophils (rs=0.789 and 0.726 respectively; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Galectin-3 is involved in the process of airway inflammation in children with RMPP, and the level of galectin-3 in BALF is positively correlated with MP load. RMPP is a cellular immune inflammatory lesion with the increase of neutrophils and the reduction in macrophages. Galectin-3 is closely associated with neutrophil chemotaxis and luminal infiltration in children with RMPP. MP load gradually decreases with the recovery from RMPP, but it is not completely eliminated by the immune system in the recovery stage. MP infection can increase the consumption of macrophages in children with RMPP.

Centimeter-Level Orbit Determination for TG02 Spacelab Using Onboard GNSS Data.

Tiangong-2, the second Chinese manned spacecraft, was launched into low Earth orbit on 15 September 2016. The dual-frequency geodetic GNSS receiver equipped on it is supporting a number of scientific experiments in orbit. This paper uses the onboard GNSS data from 3⁻31 December 2016 (in the attitude mode of three-axis Earth-pointing stabilization) to analyze the data quantity, as well as the code multipath error. Then, the dynamic and reduced-dynamic methods are adopted to perform the post Precise Orbit Determination (POD) based on the carrier phase measurements, respectively. After that, the orbit accuracy is evaluated using a number of tests, which include the analysis of observation residuals, Overlapping Orbit Differences (OODs), orbit comparison between dynamic and reduced-dynamic and Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) validation. The results show that: (1) the average Root Mean Square (RMS) of the on-board GNSS phase fitting residuals is 8.8 mm; (2) regarding the OODs determined by the reduced-dynamic method, the average RMS in radial (R), along-track (T) and cross-track (N) directions is 0.43 cm, 1.34 cm and 0.39 cm, respectively, and there are no obvious system errors; (3) the orbit accuracy of TG02 determined by the reduced-dynamic method is comparable to that of the dynamic method, and the average RMS of their differences in R, T, N and 3D directions is 3.05 cm, 3.60 cm, 2.52 cm and 5.40 cm, respectively; (4) SLR data are used to validate the reduced-dynamic orbits, and the average RMS along the station-satellite direction is 1.94 cm. It can be seen that both of these two methods can meet the demands of 3D centimeter-level orbit determination for TG02.