Epidemiology of Tinea Capitis in Children in Beijing and Adjacent Regions, China: A 15-Year Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Tinea capitis is the most common dermatophytosis in children. Due to many factors, the types of pathogenic fungi of tinea capitis vary all over the world, and the pathogenic fungi of tinea capitis may change over time even in the same region. OBJECTIVES: To investigated the epidemiological characteristics and pathogenic strains distribution of tinea capitis in children in Beijing and adjacent regions. Patients/Methods Through retrospective study and epidemiological analysis, we investigated the epidemiological characteristics of tinea capitis in children in Beijing and adjacent regions over 15 years. RESULTS: A total of 1739 children with tinea capitis were retrospectively investigated from January 2006 to December 2020, including 1100 boys and 639 girls. A total of 67.4% of tinea capitis patients were between 1 and 5 years of age. A decreasing trend in tinea capitis was observed before 2009, while for the following 12 years, the incidence rate of tinea capitis fluctuated little. Zoophilic isolates (primarily Microsporum canis) were responsible for 88.4% of tinea capitis. Males are at greater risk for M. canis infection (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Zoophilic species were responsible for approximately nine-tenth of the tinea capitis cases. The incidence of tinea capitis decreased before 2009.

High-dose oral terbinafine in the treatment of pediatric tinea capitis under 2 years old.

Tinea capitis is the most common pediatric dermatophytosis of the scalp and hair follicles that require oral antifungals therapy. It usually occurs in children between 3 and 7 years old, whereas it is rarely reported in children under 2 years old. Although oral terbinafine has been broadly used to treat tinea capitis, it is not approved for pediatric patients under 2 years old. Previous studies reported that a doubled oral terbinafine dose could improve the cure rates of tinea capitis due to Microsporum canis. However, the doses are all not strictly weight-based. Here, we report four pediatric tinea capitis patients under 2 years of age who were treated with a high, strictly weight-based dose of oral terbinafine therapy (10 mg/kg/day). We determine the efficacy and safety of this novel oral terbinafine therapy schedule. It may be a promising therapy to treat pediatric tinea capitis under 2 years old.

Successful treatment of tinea capitis caused by Microsporum canis in a 23-day-old newborn with itraconazole pulse therapy and a review of the literature.

Although tinea capitis is common in children, but it is rare in newborns. It should be differentiated with neonatal lupus erythematosus, nummular eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, erythema annular centrifugum, annular urticaria, and annular erythema of infancy. Tinea capitis usually needs oral antifungal therapy, but the data of use in newborn is limited. Here, we report a case of tinea capitis caused by Microsporum canis in a 23-day-old female newborn. The patient was given itraconazole oral solution pulse therapy with an excellent outcome. Itraconazole oral solution pulse therapy may be a promising therapy for tinea capitis in infants, especially in newborns.

FEATURES OF OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF VOGT-KOYANAGI-HARADA DISEASE.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: To examine the diagnostic value of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for the detection of acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. METHODS: Clinical charts and OCT images were retrospectively reviewed for patients consecutively diagnosed with acute VKH, subacute VKH, multifocal central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR), and posterior scleritis. All patients underwent OCT, fundus photography, and fluorescein angiography (FA) before treatment. The characteristics of OCT and FA were analyzed and recorded. RESULTS: The study included 80 eyes with acute VKH, 32 eyes with subacute VKH, 33 eyes with CSCR, and 13 eyes with posterior scleritis. The most common OCT features of VKH disease were hyperreflective dots (70/80; 88%), subretinal membranous structures (64/80; 80%), retinal detachment higher than 450 µm (63/80; 79%), and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) folds (44/80; 55%). For the detection of VKH disease, sensitivity and specificity were for subretinal membranous structures 80% and 95.6%, respectively, for high retinal detachment 78.8% and 76.1%, respectively, for subretinal hyperreflective dots, 87.5 and 60.9%, respectively, and for RPE folds 55% and 80.4% respectively. Subretinal membranous structures showed the highest positive predictive value (97.3%) and negative predictive value (65.7%) of all OCT assessed features. CONCLUSION: OCT-related morphological signs have a relatively high predictive value for the diagnosis of acute VKH.

The effect of aerobic exercise and starvation on growth performance and postprandial metabolic response in juvenile southern catfish (Silurus meridionalis).

To investigate the effects of aerobic exercise and starvation on growth performance, postprandial metabolic response and their interaction in a sedentary fish species, either satiation-fed or starved juvenile southern catfish (Silurus meridionalis) were exercised at 25 °C under three water velocities, i.e., nearly still water (control), 1 body length (bl) s(-1) and 2 bl s(-1), for eight weeks. Then, the feed intake (FI), food conversion efficiency (FCE), specific growth rate (SGR), morphological parameters, resting MO2 (MO2rest) and postprandial MO2 responses of the experimental fish were measured. Exercise at a low velocity (1 bl s(-1)) showed no effect on any growth performance parameter, whereas exercise at a high velocity (2 bl s(-1)) exhibited higher FI but similar SGR due to the extra energy expenditure from swimming and consequent decreased FCE. Starvation led to a significant body mass loss, whereas the effect intensified in both exercise groups. Exercise resulted in improved cardio-respiratory capacity, as indicated by increased gill and heart indexes, whereas it exhibited no effect on resting and postprandial metabolism in S. meridionalis. The starved fish displayed significantly larger heart, gill and digestive tract indexes compared with the feeding fish, suggesting selective maintenance of cardio-respiratory and digestive function in this fish species during starvation. However, starved fish still exhibited impaired digestive performance, as evidenced by the prolonged duration and low postprandial metabolic increase, and this effect was further exacerbated in both the 1 and 2 bl s(-1) exercise groups. These data suggest the following: (1) aerobic exercise produced no improvement in growth performance but may have led to the impairment of growth under insufficient food conditions; (2) the mass of different organs and tissues responded differently to aerobic exercise and starvation due to the different physiological roles they play; and (3) aerobic exercise had no effect on the postprandial metabolic response under a "normal feeding" situation, whereas it may have resulted in the impairment of the digestive capacity when food availability was low due to the competition of energy and oxygen under unfavorable conditions in juvenile S. meridionalis.

Hematologic toxicity assessment in solid tumor patients treated with cetuximab: a pooled analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials.

The role of cetuximab in treatment-related hematologic toxicity is not clear. We performed a meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine the overall risk of ≥grade 3 hematologic toxicity events (HTEs) associated with cetuximab. PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Knowledge databases as well as abstracts presented at American Society of Clinical Oncology conferences and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched to identify relevant studies. Eligible studies included RCTs in which cetuximab in combination with chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy was compared with chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy alone. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using fixed- or random-effects models. A total of 11,234 patients with a variety of advanced solid tumors from 18 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with chemotherapy alone, the addition of cetuximab was associated with increased risks of ≥grade 3 leucopenia/neutropenia and anemia events in colorectal cancer, with RRs of 1.16 (95% CI 1.05-1.27, p=0.002; incidence, 21.0 vs. 18.0%) and 2.67 (95% CI 1.53-4.65, p=0.01; incidence, 4.0 vs. 2.0%), respectively. Cetuximab was also associated with an increased risk of leucopenia/neutropenia in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (RR: 1.15; 95% CI 1.08-1.22, p<0.01). Additionally, K-ras wild type in the case of colorectal cancer patients was more vulnerable to ≥grade 3 leucopenia or neutropenia events in cetuximab group (RR: 1.31; 95% CI 1.11-1.54, p=0.001). With present evidence, cetuximab in conjunction with chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy, compared with chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy alone, was associated with increased slight risk of ≥grade 3 HTEs, especially in colorectal cancer and NSCLC.

Practical method for the rapid screening of xanthine oxidase inhibitors in herbal extracts by high-performance liquid chromatography based on on-line precolumn enzymatic reaction.

A high-performance liquid chromatography method with on-line precolumn enzymatic reaction for the screening of xanthine oxidase inhibitors in natural extracts was developed. In this method, the enzymatic reaction occurred at the capillary inlet during a predetermined waiting period, after which the reaction product, uric acid, was separated and detected by liquid chromatography using ultraviolet absorption at 295 nm. Enzyme inhibition can be read out directly from the reduced peak area of uric acid in comparison to a reference chromatogram obtained in the absence of any inhibitor. In the present study, the availability of on-line precolumn enzymatic reaction with ultraviolet detection was firstly evaluated by determining the inhibitory mechanism and IC50 values of allopurinol, a commercially available positive drug. Then, the newly developed method was applied to screening of ten natural extracts from traditional Chinese medicine and as a result, the extract of Epimedium sagittatum (Sieb. et Zucc.) Maxim was found to be most positive for xanthine oxidase inhibition. The results obtained were compared with those obtained by offline enzyme assay and the effectiveness of the present method was confirmed. A rapid, low-cost, and fully automated method for xanthine oxidase inhibitor screening was proposed.

Case Report: Itraconazole Oral Solution Continuous Therapy for Infantile Tinea Capitis.

Tinea capitis is a common fungal infection caused by dermatophytes in children, but it is rare in infants. Although oral itraconazole has been widely used to treat tinea capitis, its use in infants is limited due to its low prevalence in this age group. A previous study reported the effectiveness of itraconazole continuous therapy in treating infantile tinea capitis caused by Microsporum canis. However, this approach has not been extended to tinea capitis caused by other fungi. In this study, we present four cases of infantile tinea capitis treated with continuous itraconazole oral solution therapy (5 mg/kg/day). Two patients were infected with M. canis, one patient with Nannizzia gypsea, and another with Trichophyton tonsurans. This study assesses the efficacy and safety of itraconazole oral solution continuous therapy, expanding our understanding by demonstrating its effectiveness for infantile tinea capitis caused by T. tonsurans and N. gypsea.

Case Report: Scalp pityriasis versicolor may be a neglected problem.

Pityriasis versicolor, a common skin fungal infection, is typically observed on trunk and limb skin. Here, we highlight an unusual presentation: scalp involvement, often overlooked due to its asymptomatic, mildly scaly patches. We report four pediatric cases, emphasizing the potential underestimation of this scalp variant. This case series underscores the importance of considering this diagnosis in patients with unexplained scalp hypopigmentation, especially in males with short hair who may readily notice these subtle changes. The report contributes to the understanding of this variant's clinical presentation and emphasizes the need for awareness among clinicians to ensure accurate diagnosis and appropriate management.

[APPL1-mediated effects of leptin on activity of GSK-3ß in C2C12 cell].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of leptin on activity of GSK-3ß and explore its mechanism. METHODS: C2C12 myoblasts differentiated for 3 days into myotubes in differentiation medium. Myotubes were stimulated by leptin (100 nmol/L) for 0, 5, 15 or 30 min respectively. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of GSK-3ß and phospho-GSK-3ß (ser-9). Co-immunoprecipitation (CO-IP) was performed to determine the relationship among APPL1, leptin receptor and GSK-3ß in the presence or absence of leptin. The expression level of GSK-3ß at phospho-GSK-3ß (ser-9) was detected in APPL1-suppressed C2C12 myotube while that of APPL1 at phospho-APPL1 (ser-401) determined in GSK-3ß overexpressed/inhibited C2C12 cell. RESULTS: Leptin time-dependently increased the phosphorylation level of GSK-3ß at ser-9 in C2C12 cell, and the pGSK-3ß level in cells incubated by leptin for 30 min was as 4.08 times as which in control cells (P < 0.01). The triple complex of APPL1, leptin receptor and GSK-3ß, in the presence of leptin, the binding capacity between APPL1 and GSK-3ß was stronger. The level of phospho-GSK-3ß was significantly lower in APPL1-suppressed C2C12 cell compared with that in control cells. And the phosphorylation of APPL1 at ser-401 could be induced by GSK-3ß. CONCLUSION: Leptin promotes muscle glycogen synthesis by inducing phosphorylation of GSK-3ß in C2C12 cell. Such a function may be mediated by the triple complex of APPL1, leptin receptor and GSK-3ß. Meanwhile, GSK-3ß can also increase the phosphorylation of APPL1 at ser-401.

[Association between dyslipidemia and different subtypes of hypertension among Zhejiang population in 2010].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between dyslipidemia and different subtypes of hypertension among Zhejiang population. METHODS: From June to October in 2010, 19 113 local residents aged ≥ 18 years old were selected among 7571 families from fifteen counties in Zhejiang by four stage stratified-random sampling method. A self-designed questionnaire was adopted to collect information on demographic characteristics, physical activity and life style. At the same time, physical examinations including height, weight, blood pressure and blood lipids were carried out. RESULTS: A total of 19 113 participants completed the interviews, physical examinations and collected the blood samples.Excluding those who did not meet the criteria, 14 731 were finally enrolled in the study. The prevalence rates of isolated systolic hypertension (ISH), isolated diastolic hypertension (IDH), systolic and diastolic hypertension (SDH) were 7.16% (1055/14 731, standardized rate:5.46%), 4.60% (677/14 731, standardized rate:4.41%), 7.09% (1045/14 731, standardized rate:5.75%), respectively. Among normal blood pressure group, subjects with normal TC, high TC and abnormal TC were separately 10 571 (88.43%), 1173 (9.81%) and 210 (1.76%); subjects with normal HDL-C and low HDL-C were separately 6885 (57.60%) and 5069 (42.40%); subjects with normal TG, high TG, abnormal TG were separately 9952 (79.91%), 1213 (10.15%) and 1189(9.95%).In ISH group, subjects with normal TC, high TC and abnormal TC were separately 826 (78.29%), 188 (17.82%) and 41 (3.89%); subjects with normal HDL-C and low HDL-C were separately 666(63.13%) and 389 (36.87%); subjects with normal TG, high TG and abnormal TG were separately 737 (69.86%), 150 (14.22%) and 168 (15.92%). Multi factor analysis showed that high TG and abnormal TG were associated with ISH (OR (95%CI):1.43 (1.16-1.76), 1.65 (1.34-2.03) respectively). Among IDH group, subjects with normal TC, high TC, abnormal TC were separately 556(82.13%), 99(14.62%) and 22 (3.25%); subjects with normal HDL-C, low HDL-C were separately 335 (49.48%) and 342 (50.52%); subjects with normal TG, high TG, and abnormal TG separately were 402 (59.38%), 107 (15.81%) and 168 (24.82%). The multi factor analysis showed that high TG and abnormal TG could increase the risk of IDH (OR(95%CI):1.57 (1.24-1.98), 2.18 (1.76-2.70) respectively). Among SDH group, subjects with normal TC, high TC and abnormal TC were 817 (78.18%), 193 (18.47%) and 35 (3.35%); subjects with normal HDL-C and abnormal HDL-C were separately 599 (57.32%) and 446 (42.68%); subjects with normal TG, high TG, abnormal TG were separately 675 (64.59%), 164 (15.69%) and 206 (19.71%). The multi factor analysis showed that high TC, high TG and abnormal TG were also associated with the increased risk of SDH (OR (95%CI):1.38 (1.14-1.67), 1.43(1.18-1.75), 1.73 (1.43-2.10) respectively). CONCLUSION: Dyslipidemia is an important factor of different subtypes of hypertension among Zhejiang population, especially triglycerides. Dyslipidemia screening should be strengthened to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Observation of the Curative Effect of the Dexamethasone Vitreous Cavity Implant for the Treatment of Irvine-Gass Syndrome.

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of dexamethasone vitreous cavity implants (Ozurdex) for the treatment of macular edema (Irvine-Gass Syndrome) after cataract surgery. Method: Eight patients (eight eyes) with Irvine-Gass syndrome were enrolled for vitreous injections with Ozurdex. The patients included six men (six eyes) and two women (two eyes) with a mean age of 67.12 ± 11.92 years. Changes in the patients best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), and intraocular pressure were compared before and after treatment. Result: The mean visual acuity BCVA of the patients was 0.81 ± 0.26 before implantation, which improved to 0.20 ± 0.12, 0.13 ± 0.09, and 0.15 ± 0.13 at 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months after implantation, respectively ( P < 0.001). The patient's mean CMT before implantation was 703.00 ± 148.88 µm, and it reduced to 258.87 ± 37.40 µm, 236.25 ± 28.74 µm, and 278.00 ± 76.82 µm at 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months after implantation, respectively ( P < 0.001). Conclusion: The dexamethasone vitreous cavity implant (Ozurdex) is a safe and effective treatment, which can effectively improve patient's visual acuity and reduce macular edema associated with cataract surgery.

Fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio predicts overall survival of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) has been found to be of prognostic significance for several types of malignant tumors. However, less is known about the association between FAR and survival outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. AIM: To explore the association between FAR and prognosis and survival in patients with HCC. METHODS: A total of 366 histologically confirmed HCC patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2018 in a provincial cancer hospital in southwestern China were retrospectively selected. Relevant data were extracted from the hospital information system. The optimal cutoff for baseline serum FAR measured upon disease diagnosis was established using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the crude and adjusted associations between FAR and the overall survival (OS) of the HCC patients while controlling for various covariates. The restricted cubic spline (RCS) was applied to estimate the dose-response trend in the FAR-OS association. RESULTS: The optimal cutoff value for baseline FAR determined by the ROC was 0.081. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model revealed that a lower baseline serum FAR level was associated with an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.43 (95% confidence interval: 1.87-3.15) in the OS of HCC patients, with identifiable dose-response trend in the RCS. Subgroup analysis showed that this FAR-OS association was more prominent in HCC patients with a lower baseline serum aspartate aminotransferase or carbohydrate antigen 125 level. CONCLUSION: Serum FAR is a prominent prognostic indicator for HCC. Intervention measures aimed at reducing FAR might result in survival benefit for HCC patients.

Secretome-derived isotope tags (SDIT) reveal adipocyte-derived apolipoprotein C-I as a predictive marker for cardiovascular disease.

We developed a quantitative strategy, named secretome-derived isotopic tag (SDIT), to concurrently identify and quantify the adipocyte-secreted plasma proteins from normal and high-fat-diet (HFD) induced obese mice, based on the application of isotope-labeled secreted proteins from cultured mouse adipocytes as internal standards. We detected 197 proteins with significant changes between normal and obese mice plasma. Importantly, a novel adipocyte-secreted plasma protein, apolipoprotein C-I (apoC-I), significantly increased in the obese mice plasma. The expression and secretion of adipocyte apoC-I was detected in differentiated 3T3-L1 and primary rat adipocytes. Our in vitro experiments proved that functional Golgi apparatus was required for apoC-I secretion. Additionally, obese mice had increased apoC-I production in adipose tissue. Population survey of 367 participants showed that the plasma level of apoC-I was significantly increased in obese individuals compared with healthy individuals. After multiple adjustments for age and sex, the odds ratios for risk factors of cardiovascular disease including high LDL cholesterol, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia, respectively, were used to compare the highest with the lowest apoC-I quartile. Taken together, our studies provide a novel strategy to concurrently identify and quantify tissue-specific secreted proteins. This strategy can be used to identify the largest global characterization of adipocyte-derived plasma proteome and provides a potential disease-related biomarker for clinical diagnoses. By selectively analyzing adipocyte-secreted proteins in plasma from obese vs lean murine and/or human subjects, we discovered that apoC-I is an adipocyte-secreted plasma protein and a predictive marker for cardiovascular disease.

Multifunctional Phase Change Composites Based on Elastic MXene/Silver Nanowire Sponges for Excellent Thermal/Solar/Electric Energy Storage, Shape Memory, and Adjustable Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Functions.

Multifunctional phase change materials (PCMs) are highly desirable for the thermal management of miniaturized and integrated electronic devices. However, the development of flexible PCMs possessing heat energy storage, shape memory, and adjustable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding properties under complex conditions remains a challenge. Herein, the multifunctional PCM composites were prepared by encapsulating poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) into porous MXene/silver nanowire (AgNW) hybrid sponges by vacuum impregnation. Melamine foams (MFs) were chosen as a template to coat with MXene/AgNW (MA) to construct a continuous electrical/thermal conductive network. The MF@MA/PEG composites showed a high latent heat (141.3 J/g), high dimension retention ratio (96.8%), good electrical conductivity (75.3 S/m), and largely enhanced thermal conductivity (2.6 times of MF/PEG). Moreover, by triggering the phase change of the PEG, the sponges displayed a significant photoinduced shape memory function with a high shape fixation ratio (∼100%) and recovery ratio (∼100%). Interestingly, the EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) can be adjusted from 12.4 to 30.5 dB by a facile compression-recovery process based on shape memory properties. Furthermore, a finite element simulation was conducted to emphasize the advantage of the MF@MA/PEG composites in the thermal management of chips. Such flexible PCM composites with high latent heat storage, light-actuated shape memory, and adjustable EMI shielding functions exhibit great potential as smart thermal management materials in military and aerospace applications.

Personality traits and self-harm behaviors among Chinese children and adolescents: The mediating effect of psychological resilience.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that personality traits are associated with self-harm (SH) in adolescents. However, the role of resilience in this association remains unclear. Our research aims to explore the hypothesized mediation effect of resilience in the relationship between personality traits and SH in Chinese children and adolescents. AIM: To evaluate resilience as a mediator of the association between personality traits and SH. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional survey involving 4471 children and adolescents in Yunnan province in southwestern China was carried out. Relevant data were collected by self-reporting questionnaires. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were employed to identify associated factors of SH. A path model was used to assess the mediation effect of resilience with respect to personality traits and SH association. RESULTS: Among the 4471 subjects, 1795 reported SH, with a prevalence of 40.1% (95%CI: 34.4%-46.0%). All dimensions of personality traits were significantly associated with SH prevalence. Resilience significantly mediated the associations between three dimensions of personality (extroversion, neuroticism, psychoticism) and SH, accounting for 21.5%, 4.53%, and 9.65%, respectively, of the total associations. Among all dimensions of resilience, only emotional regulation played a significant mediation role. CONCLUSION: The results of the study suggest that improving emotion regulation ability might be effective in preventing personality-associated SH among Chinese children and adolescents.

Childhood maltreatment and suicide ideation: A possible mediation of social support.

BACKGROUND: Existing literature suggests a positive link between childhood maltreatment (CM) and suicide ideation (SI). Nevertheless, whether social support significantly mediates this association remains unknown. AIM: To investigate whether social support significantly mediates the association between CM and SI. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study of 4732 adolescents from southwest China, we intended to discuss the association between CM and multiple types of SI. In addition, the mediation of major types of social support in this association was also investigated. A self-administrated questionnaire was used to collect the data. A series of multivariate logistic regression models were employed to estimate the association between different types of CM, social support, and SI. The possible mediation of social support in the association between CM and SI was assessed using the path model. RESULTS: Based on the cutoffs for subscales of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, 928 (19.61%), 1269 (26.82%), 595 (12.57%), 2337 (49.39%), and 3067 (64.81%) respondents reported physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect, respectively. Among all the social sources, parental support presented as a significant mediator in the association between emotional maltreatment, both abuse and neglect, and all three types of SI: 1-wk, 1-year, and lifetime. Parental social support mediated 5.31% and 29.23%, 4.80% and 24.50%, and 7.04% and 44.42% of the overall emotional abuse-SI and emotional neglect-SI associations, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that improving parental social support might be effective in preventing suicidal risk related to childhood emotional maltreatment in adolescents.

Interleukin-37 promotes colitis-associated carcinogenesis via SIGIRR-mediated cytotoxic T cells dysfunction.

Interleukin-37b (hereafter called IL-37) was identified as fundamental inhibitor of natural and acquired immunity. The molecular mechanism and function of IL-37 in colorectal cancer (CRC) has been elusive. Here, we found that IL-37 transgenic (IL-37tg) mice were highly susceptible to colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) and suffered from dramatically increased tumor burdens in colon. Nevertheless, IL-37 is dispensable for intestinal mutagenesis, and CRC cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. Notably, IL-37 dampened protective cytotoxic T cell-mediated immunity in CAC and B16-OVA models. CD8+ T cell dysfunction is defined by reduced retention and activation as well as failure to proliferate and produce cytotoxic cytokines in IL-37tg mice, enabling tumor evasion of immune surveillance. The dysfunction led by IL-37 antagonizes IL-18-induced proliferation and effector function of CD8+ T cells, which was dependent on SIGIRR (single immunoglobulin interleukin-1 receptor-related protein). Finally, we observed that IL-37 levels were significantly increased in CRC patients, and positively correlated with serum CRC biomarker CEA levels, but negatively correlated with the CD8+ T cell infiltration in CRC patients. Our findings highlight the role of IL-37 in harnessing antitumor immunity by inactivation of cytotoxic T cells and establish a new defined inhibitory factor IL-37/SIGIRR in cancer-immunity cycle as therapeutic targets in CRC.