[Clinical features and lymphocyte subtypes in patients with IgG4-related diseases].

Objective: To deepen understanding of IgG4-related diseases (RDs), we analyzed the associated lymphocyte subtypes, and explored the pathogenesis and potential immunotherapeutic targets. Methods: Eighty-six patients with IgG4-RDs were enrolled, and their clinical characteristics, peripheral lymphocyte subtypes, and disease course were analyzed. Results: The mean age of the participants was 36-87(62±11) years; 51 were male (59.3%) and 35 were women (40.7%); and 34.9% had a history of allergy. Follow-up lasted 4.8 (0.4, 14.1) months. The most common symptoms were abdominal pain, and submandibular gland and lacrimal gland swelling (each 20.9%). Sixty-five (75.6%) participants had multiple organ involvement, and the most frequently affected organs were the pancreas (52.3%), submandibular gland (51.2%), and lacrimal gland (34.9%). A high eosinophil count; high IgE, IgG, IgG1, and IgG4 concentrations; and low complement C3 and C4 concentrations were present in 18.8% (16/85), 30.0% (24/80), 72.9% (62/85), 58.3% (28/48), 89.5% (77/86), 61.2% (52/85), and 50.0% (42/84), respectively, of the participants. In addition, 64.7% (55/85) were positive for autoantibodies, and the most frequent was anti-nuclear antibody (63.5%). The proportion of CD4+T lymphocytes increased in 25.7% (9/35) of the participants, which was accompanied by an increase in the ratio of CD4+/CD8+T lymphocytes (22.9%, 8/35). Importantly, most participants (90.0%, 18/20) had a high proportion of regulatory T (Treg) cells. High interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, and IL-10 concentrations were present in 50.0% (11/22), 33.3% (10/30), and 16.7% (5/30), respectively, of the participants. Substantial lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, fibrosis, IgG4-positive plasma cell infiltration, and lymphoid follicle hyperplasia or ectopic formation were present in 79.2% (42/53), 67.9%(36/53), 35.8%(19/53) and 30.2% (16/53), respectively, of the participants. Fifty-three participants with detailed pathologic data were also further evaluated, of whom 24.5% (13/53), 3.8% (2/53), and 67.9% (36/53) had definite, probable, and possible diagnoses; and 3.8% (2/53) could not be diagnosed. Compared with baseline, the percentage of eosinophils and the IgE, IgG, and IgG4 concentrations decreased significantly; and the complement C3 and C4 concentrations had increased significantly after 6 months of treatment (all P<0.05). The IgG4 concentration after 6 months of treatment negatively correlated with that of C4, and positively correlated with the baseline concentration of IgE and the IgG4/IgG ratio. Conclusion: IgG4-RDs are a group of diseases characterized by male predisposition; multiple organ involvement; a high eosinophil count; high IgE, IgG, IgG1, and IgG4 concentrations; and a low C3 concentration. Peripheral CD4+T cells and Treg cells are also more abundant. The diseases can be controlled with glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive drugs in the majority of instances. The IgG4 concentration after 6 months of treatment negatively correlates with the baseline complement C4 concentration and positively correlates with the IgE concentration and IgG4/IgG ratio, which suggests that IgG4/IgG, IgE, and complement should be closely monitored to evaluate disease activity and the efficacy of treatment in such patients.

[Determination of 22 phospholipids in serum by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

Objective: To establish ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the determination of 22 phospholipids in serum. Methods: In September 2022, Using synthetic non endogenous phospholipids as internal standard, phospholipids in serum were extracted by methanol-dichloromethane (2∶1, V/V) protein precipitation method. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an ACQUITY UPLC BEH shield RP18 column, and the mobile phase was methanol/water (5∶95, V/V) containing 10 mM ammonium formate and methanol. Detection was performed in multiple reaction monitoring mode with ion mode switching. And the method was applied by analyzing phospholipids in the serum of coal workers' pneumoconiosis patients. Results: The 22 phospholipids showed good linear relationships in their respective concentration ranges and the correlation coefficients were higher than 0.990. The spiked recoveries of the 22 phospholipids were 81.03%-121.63% at the three spiked levels. The intra-assay were less than 14.52%, and the inter-assay were less than 15.00%. Conclusion: The method with the advantages of simplicity, stability and high sensitivity, and it can be used for the analysis of phospholipids in serum.

[Epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 epidemic in Ejina banner, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, October 2021].

Objective: To understand the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 epidemic in Ejina banner, Inner Mongolia, in October 2021 and provide evidence for the improvement of COVID-19 prevention and control. Methods: The information about the time, area and population distributions of COVID-19 cases in Ejina before November 13, 2021 and the gene sequencing result of the isolates were collected for a statistical descriptive analysis. Results: The first COVID-19 case in Ejina occurred on 7 October, 2021. A total of 164 COVID-19 cases were reported from October 19 to November 12. Most cases were distributed in 6 communities in Darahub (156 cases, 95.12%). The result of full gene sequencing of the isolates indicted that the pathogen was Delta variant (B.1.617.2). The male to female ratio of the cases was 1.3∶1. The age of cases ranged from 1 to 85 years, and the cases aged 20-59 years accounted for 78.66%. The main clinical symptoms were sore throat (91 cases, 91.92%), cough (49 cases, 49.49%) and fever (23 cases, 23.23%). Most cases were ordinary ones (81 cases, 49.39%) and mild ones (68 cases, 41.46%). The cases were mainly detected at the isolation points (84 cases, 51.22%) and through population based nucleic acid testing (62 cases, 37.80%). The basic reproduction number (R0) of COVID-19 was 5.3, the average incubation period was 3.9 days. The local government rapidly started Ⅳ level emergency response and conducted 10 rounds of nucleic acid tests. The transferring of travelers reduced the risk for the further spread of COVID-19 in Ejina. Conclusions: The epidemic of COVID-19 in Ejina characterized by strong transmission, short incubation period, herd susceptibility and case clustering. Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was the pathogen, which might be imported from Zeke port. Comprehensive prevention and control measures, such as closed-loop management and vaccination, should be continued. The successful transferring of the patients and travelers provided evidence for the effective and precise prevention and control of COVID-19 in a routine manner.

Prevalence of and risk factors for refractive error: a cross-sectional study in Han and Mongolian adults aged 40-80 years in Inner Mongolia, China.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of and risk factors for refractive error (RE) in Han and Mongolian adults aged 40-80 years in Inner Mongolia in China and to identify ethnic differences in RE between these populations. METHODS: Our cross-sectional study is part of the China National Health Survey (CNHS). The age-adjusted prevalence of RE in Han and Mongolian adults aged 40-80 in Inner Mongolia were compared. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify risk factors. RESULTS: Among 2090 people, the age-adjusted prevalence of myopia (SE < -0.5D), hyperopia (SE > 0.5D), high myopia (SE < -6.0D) and astigmatism (cylinder ≥ 0.5D) were 29.4% (95% confidence interval (CI), 27.4-31.3%), 28.4% (95% CI, 26.4-30.5%), 3.6% (95% CI, 2.8-4.4%) and 65.9% (95% CI, 63.9-67.9%), respectively. The age-adjusted prevalence of myopia in the Han population was higher than that in the Mongolian population (31.8% vs. 23.0%, p < 0.001), but the prevalence of hyperopia was lower (25.8% vs. 35.3%, p = 0.002). In the multivariable logistic regression, ethnicity was associated with myopia (p = 0.001) and hyperopia (p = 0.001). Myopia was also associated with age, time spent in rural areas (p < 0.001) and middle/high school and undergraduate/graduate education levels (p = 0.027 and p < 0.001, respectively, compared with lower education levels). Additionally, age, height (p = 0.015) and pterygium (p = 0.014) were associated with hyperopia. CONCLUSIONS: Ethnicity is closely related to RE in Inner Mongolia in mainland China. Our study investigates differences in prevalence of and risk factors for RE between the Han and Mongolian populations, which could not be explained by differences in the risk factors investigated in this study.

[Effect of microRNA-27a-3p on proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle of hepatoma cells].

Objective: To investigate the effect of miR-27a-3p on proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle of hepatoma cells. Methods: A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect differential expression of miR-27a-3p in normal hepatic epithelial cells (L02) and hepatoma cells (HepG2 and PLC). Cell experiment was divided into four groups: HepG2 overexpression cells, Mi-27a-3p overexpression group (Mi-27a) and negative control group (Mi-Con); PLC knockdown cells, Mi-27a-3p knockdown group (Mi-inhibitor-27a) and negative control group (Mi-inhibitor-Con). The expression of microRNA-27a-3p in each group after transfection was detected by qPCR analysis. MTT assay was used to detect the cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis and cell cycle. One-way ANOVA was used for multiple comparisons, and t-test was used to compare two groups. Results: qPCR results showed that the expression levels of miR-27a-3p in L02, HepG2 and PLC increased sequentially, and the relative expression levels were 1.07 ± 0.04, 4.81 ± 0.64 and 11.31 ± 0.92, respectively (P < 0.05). MTT assay showed that the cell viability of HepG2 cells transfected with miR-27a-3p overexpression plasmid was significantly decreased compared with the negative control group (P < 0.05). The apoptosis assay showed that the apoptosis rate of miR-27a-3p overexpression group was higher than the negative control group (P < 0.05). The cell cycle results showed that the proportion of S phase cells in the miR-27a-3p overexpression cell group was significantly lower than the negative control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, microRNA-27a-3p knockdown validation in PLC cells showed that MTT, apoptosis and cell cycle tests results were opposite to the results of HepG2 overexpression cells, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: miR-27a-3p can significantly inhibit the proliferation of hepatoma cells, promote cell apoptosis, alter the cell cycle distribution, and may become a potential target in hepatocellular carcinoma therapy.

[Clinical trial of simplified drilling method for dental implant site preparation].

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of simplified drilling method and conventional drilling method in implants. Methods: A total of 46 patients (62 implants) were enrolled in this study that with dentition defect from May 2015 to May 2016 in the Implant department of Xi'an Jiao Tong University. The experimental group and the control group were randomly assigned according to the random number method, 23 cases in each group. The experimental group used the simplified drilling method (guided drill+ final drill), the control group using the conventional drilling method (step by step drill). The operation time, implant stability, marginal bone resorption rate and implant retention rate were compared between the two drilling methods. Results: The retention of the experiment group was 97% (31/32), the the control group was 100% (30/30). The operative time in the experiment group [(4.9±0.5) min] was significantly lower from the control group [(8.9±2.0) min] (P=0.000). There was no significant difference between the two methods in bone resorption (P=0.197), implant stability (P>0.05) and implant survival rate (P=0.492). Conclusions: The simplified drilling method can significantly reduce the operation time without compromising the clinical outcomes, and the osseointegration is well. The simplified drilling method should be used when sufficient bone mass, careful use in class II bone, forbidden in class I bone.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of pericardial effusion complicating radiofrequency catheter ablation in Chinese Han patients with tachyarrhythmias.

BACKGROUND: The clinical features and risk factors of pericardial effusion complicating radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) in a large sample of Chinese Han patients with tachyarrhythmias have rarely been reported. METHODS: We summarized the clinical characteristics and analyzed the risk factors of pericardial effusion complicating RFCA in 1,756 Chinese Han patients with tachyarrhythmias. RESULTS: There were 27 patients with pericardial effusion after RFCA. Of these patients, 10 developed cardiac tamponade; the symptoms of 9 patients were relieved after pericardiocentesis and drainage, while 1 patient was discharged after emergency surgical repair. The rate of pericardial effusion in patients with atrial fibrillation was significantly higher than in those with other tachyarrhythmias (P < 0.001). The proportion of female patients, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, age, left atrial size, and length of hospitalization in the pericardial effusion group was significantly increased compared with the non-pericardial effusion group (P < 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that female sex and atrial fibrillation were independent risk factors of complications by pericardial effusion after RFCA in patients with tachyarrhythmias. Age and left atrial size in female patients and those with atrial fibrillation were significantly higher than in male patients and patients without atrial fibrillation. CONCLUSION: Pericardial effusion complicating RFCA is not rare in patients with tachyarrhythmias, and it tends to develop into cardiac tamponade. Emergency pericardiocentesis and drainage are the most effective therapy. Female sex and atrial fibrillation may be independent risk factors of pericardial effusion after RFCA in patients with tachyarrhythmias.

Application of the dual-beam FIB/SEM to metals research.

The dual-beam microscope is a combination of a focused ion beam with an electron beam. The instrument used in this work is also equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray system for local elemental analysis. This powerful tool gives access to specific features inside a material. Two different applications are presented in this paper: (1) cross-sections and transmission electron microscope specimens cut in order to investigate the interface between an aluminium substrate and its epoxy coating; and (2) a grain boundary in a Cu(3)Au alloy. In both cases, the dual beam succeeded where other methods failed.

[The design of a practical instant ECG pocket recorder].

The Holter is no doubt very useful in clinic to help doctor to capture and understand the seizure from the ECG. But the device is not convenient to be use at home and is still very expensive now. This paper introduces a practical instant ECG recorder which a patient can take with at any time. It's cheap and easy of use.

Thyroid and liver trophic changes in rats secondary to liver microsomal enzyme induction caused by an experimental leukotriene antagonist (L-649,923).

Thyroid hyperplasia and/or hepatomegaly were observed in a 14-week oral toxicity study with L-649,923, a leukotriene antagonist, at doses of 50 and 150 mg/kg/day. In a 16-day study, L-649,923 caused an increase in plasma TSH and hepatic enzyme induction, but did not affect plasma T3 and T4 levels. Light microscopy and ultrastructural examination of the liver and thyroid showed changes indicative of hepatic enzyme induction and increased stimulation of the thyroid by TSH. Because other hepatic enzyme inducers cause thyroid hyperplasia by increasing the turnover of plasma T3 and T4 it was hypothesized that L-649,923-induced thyroid hyperplasia might be occurring by the same mechanism. To examine this theory, rats were treated po with 300 mg/kg/day of L-649,923 for 17 days. On Day 15, all rats were dosed iv with [125I]thyroxine (33 microCi/rat). At various times after dosing, blood was collected and plasma levels of 125I were determined. The clearance and elimination rate constant were significantly larger in treated animals than in the control group (p less than 0.01). This work demonstrates that L-649,923 increases the plasma turnover of thyroxine which is associated with a stimulation of TSH and thyroid hyperplasia.

[Isolation of a metastatic ascitic subpopulation from a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line in nude mice and studies on its biological properties].

An ascitic subpopulation (Anip) was isolated from human lung adenocarcinoma cell line AGZY-83-a through serial intraperitoneal passages in nude mice. Anip manifested a much higher metastatic potential than the parent line. Spontaneous lung metastases occurred in 95% of the mice xenografted intraperitoneally, and the diffuse pattern of the metastases in the lung was very impressive. Anip also differed more or less from the parent line in morphology, growth, rate, electrophoretic mobility, platelet aggregating activity and noticeably in the chromosome histogram. The present model may be used in the study of tumor invasion and metastasis, as large amounts of well dispersed metastatic human carcinoma cells could be reproduced by ascites and much information about the biology of invasion and metastasis of human tumor cells in nude mice could be obtained.

Human colorectal tumor xenografts in nude mice: expression of malignancy.

Factors associated with the growth and progression of (human) tumor xenografts have been briefly reviewed. Intrinsic properties of tumor cells, most of them yet to be recognized, may interfere with multiple rejection processes and/or growth regulatory signals developed in various immunodeficient recipients. Using alternative hosts or new experimental conditions, it is hoped that the system can provide valuable information on the tumor invasive and metastasizing processes.