RUNX1 is required in granulocyte-monocyte progenitors to attenuate inflammatory cytokine production by neutrophils.

The transcription factor RUNX1 is mutated in familial platelet disorder with associated myeloid malignancy (FPDMM) and in sporadic myelodysplastic syndrome and leukemia. RUNX1 was shown to regulate inflammation in multiple cell types. Here we show that RUNX1 is required in granulocyte-monocyte progenitors (GMPs) to epigenetically repress two inflammatory signaling pathways in neutrophils: Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and type I interferon (IFN) signaling. RUNX1 loss in GMPs augments neutrophils' inflammatory response to the TLR4 ligand lipopolysaccharide through increased expression of the TLR4 coreceptor CD14. RUNX1 binds Cd14 and other genes encoding proteins in the TLR4 and type I IFN signaling pathways whose chromatin accessibility increases when RUNX1 is deleted. Transcription factor footprints for the effectors of type I IFN signaling-the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT1::STAT2) and interferon regulatory factors (IRFs)-were enriched in chromatin that gained accessibility in both GMPs and neutrophils when RUNX1 was lost. STAT1::STAT2 and IRF motifs were also enriched in the chromatin of retrotransposons that were derepressed in RUNX1-deficient GMPs and neutrophils. We conclude that a major direct effect of RUNX1 loss in GMPs is the derepression of type I IFN and TLR4 signaling, resulting in a state of fixed maladaptive innate immunity.

Ion Kinetics and Neutron Generation Associated with Electromagnetic Turbulence in Laboratory-Scale Counterstreaming Plasmas.

Electromagnetic turbulence and ion kinetics in counterstreaming plasmas hold great significance in laboratory astrophysics, such as turbulence field amplification and particle energization. Here, we quantitatively demonstrate for the first time how electromagnetic turbulence affects ion kinetics under achievable laboratory conditions (millimeter-scale interpenetrating plasmas with initial velocity of 2000 km/s, density of 4×10^{19} cm^{-3}, and temperature of 100 eV) utilizing a recently developed high-order implicit particle-in-cell code without scaling transformation. It is found that the electromagnetic turbulence is driven by ion two-stream and filamentation instabilities. For the magnetized scenarios where an applied magnetic field of tens of Tesla is perpendicular to plasma flows, the growth rates of instabilities increase with the strengthening of applied magnetic field, which therefore leads to a significant enhancement of turbulence fields. Under the competition between the stochastic acceleration due to electromagnetic turbulence and collisional thermalization, ion distribution function shows a distinct super-Gaussian shape, and the ion kinetics are manifested in neutron yields and spectra. Our results have well explained the recent unmagnetized experimental observations, and the findings of magnetized scenario can be verified by current astrophysical experiments.

Saturation of Fishbone Instability by Self-Generated Zonal Flows in Tokamak Plasmas.

Gyrokinetic simulations of the fishbone instability in DIII-D tokamak plasmas find that self-generated zonal flows can dominate the nonlinear saturation by preventing coherent structures from persisting or drifting in the energetic particle phase space when the mode frequency down-chirps. Results from the simulation with zonal flows agree quantitatively, for the first time, with experimental measurements of the fishbone saturation amplitude and energetic particle transport. Moreover, the fishbone-induced zonal flows are likely responsible for the formation of an internal transport barrier that was observed after fishbone bursts in this DIII-D experiment. Finally, gyrokinetic simulations of a related ITER baseline scenario show that the fishbone induces insignificant energetic particle redistribution and may enable high performance scenarios in ITER burning plasma experiments.

Asthma and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in a community setting.

OBJECTIVES: The association between asthma and COVID-19 mortality remains inconclusive. We examined the association between asthma and clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19. STUDY DESIGN: A case-control study based on a surveillance cohort in Harris County, Texas. METHODS: Using the data of 21,765 patients who reported having at least one chronic health condition, we investigated the association between asthma and COVID-19 severity, characterized primarily by hospitalization and death. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to estimate the multivariable odds ratio (mOR) and its 95 % confidence interval (CI) of COVID-19 severity associated with asthma and other chronic lung diseases, adjusting for demographic and other comorbidities. A P-value < 0.005 was considered statistically significant after correcting multiple testing. RESULTS: In total, 3034 patients (13.9 %) had asthma, and 774 (3.56 %) had other chronic lung diseases. The case death rate among patients with asthma and other chronic lung diseases was 0.75 % and 19.0 %, respectively. Compared to patients without the respective conditions, patients with asthma had lower odds of death (mOR = 0.44, 95 % CI: 0.27-0.69), while patients with other chronic lung diseases had higher odds of hospitalization (mOR = 2.02, 95 % CI: 1.68-2.42) and death (mOR = 1.95, 95 % CI: 1.52-2.49) (P-values < 0.005). Risk factors for COVID-19 mortality included older age, male gender, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, active cancer, and chronic kidney disease. CONCLUSIONS: The public health surveillance data suggested that preexisting asthma was inversely associated with COVID-19 mortality.

[Study on transcriptome characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis in children by RNA sequencing].

To explore the biological characteristics related to the pathogenesis and severity of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis by RNA sequencing of white blood cells in children with RSV bronchiolitis. This study is a case-control study. A total of 87 children diagnosed with bronchiolitis and RSV antigen positive and/or RSV nucleic acid positive in the pediatric respiratory department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from October 2019 to April 2022 were selected as the case group. The case group was divided into three groups based on the condition: mild, moderate, and severe, and there were two groups according to the presence or absence of atopic symptoms: the atopic group and the non-atopic group, forty healthy children in the same period were selected as the control group. The whole blood leukocyte RNA of the children in the case group and the control group was extracted for RNA sequencing, and the data were analyzed to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Then, the immunobiological pathways and genes related to the pathogenesis, disease condition, and atopy were screened through Gene Ontology (GO) annotation, Kyoto Gene and Genome Encyclopedia (KEGG) annotation, and protein interaction network (PPI) construction methods. Construct the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) module to identify potential biological indicators related to disease severity.Compared with the control group, the case group had a total of 1 782 DEGs, including 1 586 upregulated genes and 196 downregulated genes. The GO pathway enrichment of DEGs is mainly enriched in molecular functions such as peroxidase activity and oxidoreductase activity. In the cytological components, it is mainly enriched in cytoplasmic vesicle lumen and secretory granule lumen. In biological processes, it is mainly enriched in processes such as neutrophil activation involved in immune responses, neutrophil degranulation, and neutrophil activation. KEGG analysis is mainly concentrated in the signal pathway of the viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor. A PPI network was constructed to screen four genes at the core position, including CCL2, IL-10, MMP9 and JUN. The DEGs obtained by comparing different disease groups with the control group are mainly enriched in retrograde endocannabinoid signaling and cell apoptosis pathways. WGCNA analysis showed that the brown module related to oxygen saturation was most closely related to the disease, and its gene was mainly enriched in the RNA helicase retinoic acid inducible gene-I (RIG-I) like receptor signal pathway. There are 230 specific DEGs in the atopic group and 444 in the non-atopic group. KEGG enrichment analysis results show that both groups are enriched to NF-κB signaling pathway, the characteristic does not cause significant changes in immune response and transcriptome characteristics in children with RSV bronchiolitis. In conclusion, neutrophil activation, degranulation pathway and signal pathway of interaction between viral protein and cytokine and cytokine receptor are involved in the immune response of RSV bronchiolitis host. CCL2, IL-10, MMP9 and JUN genes may be associated with the pathogenesis. They might be potential biomarkers related to disease severity in RIG-I like receptors, cell apoptosis, and endogenous cannabinoid related signaling pathways.

[Association between body composition and coronary artery calcification in patients with chronic kidney disease].

Objective: To investigate the association between body composition and coronary artery calcification in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled patients with CKD hospitalized from May 2019 to April 2022 at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, China. Skeletal muscle mass index and visceral fat area were measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Coronary artery calcification was assessed by computed tomography. Patients were divided into coronary artery calcification group and non-coronary artery calcification group according to the incidence of coronary artery calcification. Patients were categorized into tertile groups according to their skeletal muscle mass index and visceral fat area levels ranging from the lowest to the highest levels (T1 to T3). We defined skeletal muscle mass index≤30.4% as low muscle mass and visceral fat area≥80.6 cm2 as high visceral fat based on the results of the restricted cubic spline graph. All individuals were divided into 4 phenotypes: normal body composition, low muscle mass, high visceral fat, and low muscle mass with high visceral fat. Spearman correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to assess the association between skeletal muscle mass index, visceral fat area and coronary artery calcification. Results: A total of 107 patients with CKD were enrolled, with an age of (60.0±14.1) years, including 41 female patients (38.3%). Patients of coronary artery calcification group had lower skeletal muscle mass index ((32.0±4.8) vs. (34.3±4.8), P=0.016) and higher visceral fat area ((70.8±32.6) cm2 vs. (47.9±23.8) cm2, P<0.001) than those of non-coronary artery calcification group. Patients in the T3 group of skeletal muscle mass index had a lower prevalence of coronary artery calcification (17 (48.6%) vs. 28 (77.8%)) and a lower coronary artery calcification score (0.5 (0, 124.0) vs. 12.0 (0.3, 131.0)) than those in the T1 group (P<0.05). Similarly, patients in the T1 group of visceral fat area had a lower prevalence of coronary artery calcification (14 (40.0%) vs. 29 (80.6%)) and a lower coronary artery calcification score (0 (0, 3.0) vs. 37.0 (2.0, 131.0)) than those in the T3 group (P<0.05). Likewise, patients with both low muscle mass and low muscle mass with high visceral fat had a higher prevalence of coronary artery calcification (11(78.6%) vs. 33 (47.8%); 15 (83.3%) vs. 33 (47.8%)) and a higher coronary artery calcification score (31.1 (0.8, 175.8) vs. 0 (0, 16.4); 27.6 (6.4, 211.4) vs. 0 (0, 16.4)) than those with normal body composition (P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that skeletal muscle mass index was inversely correlated with coronary artery calcification score (r=-0.212, P=0.028), and visceral fat area was positively correlated with coronary artery calcification score (r=0.408, P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that increased skeletal muscle mass index was inversely associated with coronary artery calcification prevalence (T2: OR=0.208, 95%CI: 0.056-0.770, P=0.019; T3: OR=0.195, 95%CI: 0.043-0.887, P=0.034), and reduced visceral fat area was inversely associated with coronary artery calcification prevalence (T1: OR=0.256, 95%CI: 0.071-0.923, P=0.037; T2: OR=0.263, 95%CI: 0.078-0.888, P=0.031). Consistently, both low muscle mass and low muscle mass with high visceral fat were associated with coronary artery calcification prevalence (OR=6.616, 95%CI: 1.383-31.656, P=0.018; OR=5.548, 95%CI: 1.062-28.973, P=0.042). Conclusion: Reduced skeletal muscle mass index and increased visceral fat area are significantly associated with both the prevalence and severity of coronary artery calcification in patients with CKD.

Differentiating between normal and fetal growth restriction-complicated placentas: is T2∗ imaging imaging more accurate than conventional diffusion-weighted imaging?

AIM: To compare the performance of T2∗ imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in differentiating normal placentas from those complicated by fetal growth restriction (FGR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 28 control and 30 FGR placentas. Gradient-echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 16 different echo times and diffusion-weighted imaging (b-value of 0 and 800 s/mm2) were performed on all pregnant women using a 3 T MRI system. RESULTS: Both T2∗ imaging Z-score and ADC were significantly lower in the FGR placentas (ADC, (1.69 ± 0.19) × 10-3 versus (1.42 ± 0.28) × 10-3 mm2/s, p<0.001; T2∗ imaging Z-score, -0.004 ± 0.95 versus -2.441 ± 1.48, p<0.001). The area under the curve for T2∗ imaging Z-score and ADC was 0.917 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.842-0.991) and 0.788 (95% CI = 0.655-0.887), respectively. The performance of T2∗ imaging in differentiating FGR placentas was significantly better than that of ADC (Z = 2.043, p=0.041). CONCLUSION: Placental T2∗ imaging was found to be more reliable than ADC in differentiating between normal and FGR placentas.

A deep-learning model using enhanced chest CT images to predict PD-L1 expression in non-small-cell lung cancer patients.

AIM: To develop a deep-learning model using contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) images to predict programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative enhanced chest CT images and immunohistochemistry results for PD-L1 expression (<1% and ≥1% were defined as negative and positive, respectively) were collected retrospectively from 125 NSCLC patients to train and validate a deep-learning radiomics model (DLRM) for the prediction of PD-L1 expression in tumours. The DLRM was developed by combining the deep-learning signature (DLS) obtained from a convolutional neural network and clinicopathological factors. The indexes of the area under the curve (AUC), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the efficiency of the DLRM. RESULTS: DLS and tumour stage were identified as independent predictors of PD-L1 expression by the DLRM. The AUCs of the DLRM were 0.804 (95% confidence interval: 0.697-0.911) and 0.804 (95% confidence interval: 0.679-0.929) in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. IDI analysis showed the DLRM had better diagnostic accuracy than DLS (0.0028 [p<0.05]) in the validation cohort. Additionally, DCA revealed that the DLRM had more net benefit than the DLS for clinical utility. CONCLUSION: The proposed DLRM using enhanced chest CT images could function as a non-invasive diagnostic tool to differentiate PD-L1 expression in NSCLC patients.

The association of serum testosterone with dyslipidemia is mediated by obesity: the Henan Rural Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the relationships of serum testosterone with dyslipidemia and blood lipid levels and test whether obesity mediated these associations by gender in Chinese rural population. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 6150 subjects were finally analyzed in this study. Serum testosterone for each subject was detected by liquid chromatography equipped with tandem mass spectrometry. Logistic regression and linear regression were employed to evaluate the associations of serum testosterone with the prevalence of dyslipidemia and blood lipid levels. Mediation analysis was conducted to identify the mediation effects of obesity on the relationship between serum testosterone and dyslipidemia. After adjusting for multiple confounders, per unit change in serum ln-testosterone levels was associated with a decreased prevalent dyslipidemia in men (odds ratio (OR): 0.785, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.708, 0.871)). Males with the levels of serum testosterone in the third or fourth quartiles had a 49.4% (OR: 0.506, 95% CI 0.398, 0.644) or 67.1% (OR: 0.329, 95% CI 0.253, 0.428) significantly lower odds of prevalence of dyslipidemia. In addition, a onefold increase in ln-testosterone was related to a 0.043 mmol/L (95% CI 0.028, 0.059) increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in men. Results of the mediation analysis suggested that obesity played a partial role in the association of testosterone with dyslipidemia in men. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that serum testosterone levels were negatively associated with lipid levels and prevalent dyslipidemia, and obesity mediated the effects of serum testosterone on dyslipidemia in men, implying that obesity prevention should be highlighted to decrease the prevalence of dyslipidemia related to changes in testosterone levels.

Genome-wide association study identifies variants associated with semen volume in white-feathered broilers.

Semen is a measure of the reproductive efficiency of roosters, which affects the economic benefits of white-feathered broilers. Over the years, research in this field has mainly focused on hens, while there have been fewer studies on the reproductive traits of roosters. To identify the genes related to the semen traits of roosters, we used a chicken 55 K SNP chip to genetically type the white-feathered population (220) and performed imputation with resequencing data from 97 roosters. In total, 1 048 576 SNPs were obtained and used for genome-wide association analysis of semen volume, from which 197 genome-wide significant markers were identified, all within the interval of 13.82-16.12 Mb on chromosome 7. By combining our results with the biological functions of genes in the interval, four candidate genes were identified that potentially relate to semen volume: FAPP1, OSBPL6, SESTD1 and SSFA2. Our findings may provide a basis for further research on the genetic mechanism and marker-assisted selection of semen volume in white-feathered broilers.

CHD7 and Runx1 interaction provides a braking mechanism for hematopoietic differentiation.

Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) formation and lineage differentiation involve gene expression programs orchestrated by transcription factors and epigenetic regulators. Genetic disruption of the chromatin remodeler chromodomain-helicase-DNA-binding protein 7 (CHD7) expanded phenotypic HSPCs, erythroid, and myeloid lineages in zebrafish and mouse embryos. CHD7 acts to suppress hematopoietic differentiation. Binding motifs for RUNX and other hematopoietic transcription factors are enriched at sites occupied by CHD7, and decreased RUNX1 occupancy correlated with loss of CHD7 localization. CHD7 physically interacts with RUNX1 and suppresses RUNX1-induced expansion of HSPCs during development through modulation of RUNX1 activity. Consequently, the RUNX1:CHD7 axis provides proper timing and function of HSPCs as they emerge during hematopoietic development or mature in adults, representing a distinct and evolutionarily conserved control mechanism to ensure accurate hematopoietic lineage differentiation.

Behçet's disease-induced massive small intestinal bleeding successfully treated with adalimumab.

We herein report a case of Behçet's disease in a 27-year-old female who suffered from generalized skin rashes for one week. After hospitalization, massive bloody stools accompanying hypovolemic shock occurred. Emergency abdominal computed tomography-angiography failed to detect the bleeding source. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy also demonstrated no definite bleeding points. Ileocolonoscopy showed multiple large and deep ulcers with some blood coating and mild oozing in the terminal ileum. We initially performed epinephrine injection and hemoclips for her intestinal bleeding. However, massive bloody stools still continued. Thus, we prescribed a loading dose of 160 mg adalimumab followed by weekly 80 mg adalimumab subcutaneous injections to the patient. Following this treatment, her gastrointestinal bleeding gradually subsided and completely stopped within a few days. After three-week therapy with adalimumab, capsule endoscopy showed several healing ulcers without bleeding in the distal to the terminal ileum. She continues to be treated with adalimumab, azathioprine, and mesalazine without recurrent bleeding.

The association between experiences of being defrauded and depressive symptoms of middle-aged and elderly people: a cross-sectional study in China.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the correlation between middle-aged and elderly fraud victimhood's experiences of being defrauded (EOBD) and depressive symptoms. STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective study. METHODS: Data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2018 (N = 15,322, mean age = 60.80 years) were used. Logistic regression models were used to identify the association between EOBD and depressive symptoms. Independent analyses were used to examine the association between different types of the fraud and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Among the middle-aged and elderly people, 9.37% of them have EOBD, and it was significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Among those with EOBD, fundraising fraud (3.72%) and fraudulent pyramid scheme and sales fraud (22.4%) were significantly associated with depressive symptoms, whereas telecommunication fraud (73.88%) had a limited role in inducing depressive symptoms in victimhood. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that the government should make further efforts to prevent fraud, pay more attention to the mental health of the middle-aged and elderly victimhood, and provide timely psychological assistance to reduce the secondary harm caused by fraud.

[EBF1 Promotes the Sensitivity of Cervical Cancer Cells to Cisplatin via Activating FBN1 Transcription].

Cisplatin (DDP) is widely used in the chemotherapy of cervical cancer (CC), the fourth most common female malignancy worldwide. However, some patients progress to chemotherapy resistance, which leads to chemotherapy failure, tumor recurrence, and poor prognosis. Therefore, strategies to identify the regulatory mechanisms underlying CC development and increase tumor sensitivity to DDP will help improve patient survival. This research was designed to ascertain the mechanism of EBF1-dependent regulation of FBN1 which promotes chemosensitivity of CC cells. The expression of EBF1 and FBN1 was measured in CC tissues resistant or sensitive to chemotherapy and in DDP-sensitive or -resistant cells (SiHa and SiHa-DDP cells). SiHa-DDP cells were transduced with lentiviruses encoding EBF1 or FBN1 to evaluate the influence of these two proteins on cell viability, expression of MDR1 and MRP1, and cell aggressiveness. Moreover, the interaction between EBF1 and FBN1 was predicted and demonstrated. Finally, to further verify the EBF1/FB1-dependent mechanism of DDP sensitivity regulation in CC cells a xenograft mouse model of CC was established using SiHa-DDP cells transduced with lentiviruses carrying EBF1 gene and shRNA directed to FBN1 EBF1 and FBN1 showed decreased expression in CC tissues and cells, particularly in those resistant to chemotherapy. Transduction of SiHa-DDP cells with lentiviruses encoding EBF1 or FBN1 lead to decreased viability, IC50, proliferation capacity, colony formation ability, aggressiveness, and increased cell apoptosis. We have shown that EBF1 activates FBN1 transcription by binding to FBN1 promoter region. Additionally, it was revealed that FBN1 silencing reversed the promoting effect of EBF1 overexpression on chemosensitivity of CC cells in vivo. EBF1 facilitated chemosensitivity in CC cells by activating FBN1 transcription.

[Clinical value of fluorescence in situ hybridization with MDM2 and DDIT3 probe in diagnosis of liposarcoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of using MDM2 amplification probe and DDIT3 dual-color, break-apart rearrangement probe fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique in the diagnosis of liposarcoma. METHODS: In the study, 62 cases of liposarcoma diagnosed in Peking University First Hospital from January 2015 to December 2019 were analysed for clinicopathological information. Of these 62 cases of liposarcoma, all were analysed for MDM2 amplification and 48 cases were analysed for DDIT3 rearrangement using a FISH technique. Our study aimed to evaluate the status of MDM2 and DDIT3 by FISH in liposarcoma and correlate it with diagnosis of different subtypes of liposarcoma. The subtypes of liposarcoma were classified according to the FISH results, combined with the relevant clinicopathological features. RESULTS: The patients aged 31-89 years (mean: 59 years) with a 1.75:1 male to female ratio. Histologically, there were 20 cases of atypical lipomatous tumour/well-differentiated liposarcoma (ALT/WDLPS), 26 cases of dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS), 13 myxoid liposarcoma (MLPS) and 3 pleomorphic liposarcoma (PLPS). Tumors with DDLPS (23/26) and WDLPS (8/20) were localized retroperitoneally, while both tumours of MLPS and PLPS were localized extra-retroperitoneally, and the difference of sites among the four subtypes of liposarcoma was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Histologically, varied mucoid matrix could be observed in the four subtypes of liposarcoma, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). MDM2 gene amplification was demonstrated in all cases of ALT/WDLPS and DDLPS (100%, 20/20 and 26/26 respectively); DDIT3 gene rearrangement was noted only in MLPS (100%, 13/13); most cases of DDLPS (96.2%, 25/26) and ALT/WDLPS (83.3%, 5/6, 6 cases selected for detection) demonstrated the picture of amplification of the DDIT3 telomeric tag. According to the instructions of DDIT3 break-apart rearrangement probe, the 5' telomere probe and 3' centromere probe spanned but did not cover the DDIT3 gene itself, on the contrary, the 5' telomere probe covered the CDK4 gene, while the DDIT3 and CDK4 gene were located adjacent to each other on chromosome, therefore, when the amplification signal appeared on the telomeric tag of the DDIT3 rearrangement probe, it indeed indicated the CDK4 gene amplification rather than the DDIT3 gene rearrangement. Then the 10 cases with DDIT3 telomeric tag amplification were selected for CDK4 and DDIT3 gene amplification probe FISH tests, and all the cases showed CDK4 gene amplification (100%, 10/10) and two of the 10 cases demonstrated co-amplification of CDK4 and DDIT3 (20%, 2/10); DDIT3 polysomy detected by DDIT3 gene rearrangement probe was found in 1 case of DDLPS and 2 cases of PLPS (66.7%, 2/3) with morphology of high-grade malignant tumour and poor prognosis. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that a diagnosis of different subtype liposarcoma could be confirmed based on the application of MDM2 and DDIT3 FISH, combined with clinicopathological findings. It is also noteworthy that atypical signals should be correctly interpreted to guide correct treatment of liposarcomas.

[Regulative effects of endogenous sulfur dioxide on oxidant stress in myocardium of rat with sepsis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the modulating effect of endogenous sulfur dioxide (SO2) on the ba-lance of oxidation/reduction in the cecal-ligation-and-puncture-induced septic rat myocardium. METHODS: Forty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized into control group, SO2group, sepsis group and sepsis + SO2group. The levels of procalcitonin (PCT), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), cardiac troponin Ⅰ (cTn Ⅰ) and fatty acid binding protein (FABP) in plasma in each group of the rats were measured; The level of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), level of nitric oxide (NO), activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO), activity of hydroxyl free radical (·OH) and level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in myocardial tissue were measured; Total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), activity of catalase (CAT), level of cytochrome oxidase (CO), level of glutathione (GSH), level of glutathione oxidase (GSH-px) and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in myocardial tissue were measured. RESULTS: The level of PCT in plasma in the rats with sepsis increased from (0.93±0.26) µg/L to (2.45±0.52) µg/L (P < 0.01), and decreased to (1.58±0.36) µg/L after the intervention of sulfur dioxide donor (P < 0.01). In sepsis, the plasma CK-MB, cTn Ⅰ and FABP levels in the rats increased respectively from (14.46±6.48) µg/L, (151.25±30.14) ng/L and (2.72±0.65) µg/L to (23.72±7.72) µg/L, (272.78±52.70) ng/L and (5.22±1.01) µg/L (P all < 0.01), and decreased to (16.74±3.63) µg/L, (184.86±37.72) µg/L and (3.31±0.84) µg/L (all P < 0.05) after the intervention of sulfur dioxide donor. The level of H2O2, level of NO, activity of MPO, activity of ·OH and level of MDA in myocardial tissue in the rats with sepsis increased respectively from (67.26±8.77) mmol/g, (38.39±6.93) µmol/g, (358.25±68.12) U/g, (648.42±93.69) U/ mg and (4.55±0.96) µmol/g to (111.45±17.35) mmol/g, (51.04±5.91) µmol/g, (465.88±76.76) U/g, (873.75±123.47) U/mg and (7.25±0.86) µmol/g (all P < 0.01), and decreased respectively to (75.99±10.52) mmol/g, (39.39±7.80) µmol/g, (393.17±51.5) U/g, (710.54±106.33) U/mg and (5.16±0.65) µmol/g after the intervention of the sulfur dioxide donor (all P < 0.05). The activity of T-AOC, activity of CAT, level of CO, level of GSH, level of GSH-px and activity of SOD in myocardial tissue in the rats with sepsis increased respectively from (2.07±0.37) U/mg, (169.25±36.86) U/g, (1.35±0.32) µmol/g, (103.51±16.62) µmol/g, (38.40±7.97) µmol/g and (38.50±8.30) U/mg to (1.42±0.39) U/mg, (98.44±26.56) U/g, (0.96±0.21) µmol/g, (68.05±7.35) µmol/ g, (23.83±5.04) µmol/g and (23.11±4.63) U/mg (P all < 0.01), and increased respectively to (1.83±0.37) U/mg, (146.14±31.63) U/g, (1.28±0.20) µmol/g, (92.10±11.84) µmol/g, (37.16±3.01) µmol/g and (37.29±2.62) U/mg (P all < 0.05) after the intervention of the sulfur dioxide donor. CONCLUSION: Endogenous SO2 can protect rat myocardium in sepsis by modulating the ba-lance of oxidation and reduction.

[Analysis on epidemiological characteristics of allergens with allergic skin diseases in a hospital in Beijing City from 2017 to 2021].

Objectives: In order to provide valuable information for the diagnosis and treatment of dermatitis, the prevalence rate and trend changes of common allergens in patients with allergic skin diseases in Beijing City were investigated and analyzed. Methods: This study was a retrospective data collection study. A total of 2 822 patients diagnosed with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis with allergen examinations were collected from Peking University First Hospital from 2017 to 2021, most of them were adults, and 83%(2 340/2 822) were over 18 years old. The ImmunoCAP fluorescent enzyme-linked immunoassay system was used to quantify specific IgE. The positive rate of each allergen was counted according to age, gender and year. The epidemiological characteristics and trends were analyzed. Results: In the past five years, 22 503 allergen-specific IgE test data were collected, and the positive rate of allergens in 40%(1 122/2 822) of the 2 822 patients was mainly multiple sensitization, the positive rate of allergens and multiple sensitization rates were the highest in people aged 13-18 years old. The 2 822 patients were dominated by inhaled allergens, and the highest positive rate was inhaled mixture (29.3%). The top five positive rates of inhaled allergens were Dermatophagoides farina (26.7%), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (25.5%), Mugwort (23.9%), Birch pollen (19.2%) and Siberian cocklebur (18.2%). The top five positive rates of food allergens were shrimp (15.2%), peanut (14.8%), sesame (14.7%), wheat (13.2%) and milk (13.1%). Analysis of the positive rate of allergens in different age groups showed except for the positive rate of birch pollen peaked at 3-12 years old, other inhaled allergens were the highest food allergens in 13-18 years old. Among food allergens, the positive rates of fx5, milk, egg and wheat were the highest in <3 years old, the positive rate decreased gradually with age, and the positive rate of other food allergens peaked at 13-18 years old, and the shrimp and crab was the highest in adult. The positive rate of various allergens in the 2 822 patients showed little difference between male and female and the male was slightly higher than female. In the past five years, the positive rate of allergens has been on the rise. The changes of inhaled allergens in cat/dog hair dander, Dermatophagoides farina and cicadas were large, while the positive rate of food allergens was stable. Conclusions: The etiology of the allergic skin diseases is complex, which may be related to allergen exposure, heredity, immunity, environmental factors, abnormal skin barrier function, etc. This study showed the distribution of allergens in patients with allergic skin diseases in Beijing City to a certain extent. It provided epidemiological data and clinical evidence for the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases.

[Comparative analysis of intestinal microbiota distribution characteristics based on metagenomics in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis with or without ascites].

Objective: To use metagenomic sequencing to compare the differences in intestinal microbiota species and metabolic pathways in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis with or without ascites and further explore the correlation between the differential microbiota and clinical indicators and metabolic pathways. Methods: 20 hepatitis B cirrhosis cases [10 without ascites (HBLC-WOA), 10 with ascites (HBLC-WA), and 5 healthy controls (HC)] were selected from the previously studied 16S rRNA samples. Metagenome sequencing was performed on the intestinal microbiota samples. The Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test and Spearman test were used to identify and analyse differential intestinal microbiota populations, metabolic pathways, and their correlations. Results: (1) The overall structure of the intestinal microbiota differed significantly among the three groups (R = 0.19, P = 0.018). The HC group had the largest abundance of Firmicutes and the lowest abundance of Proteobacteria at the genus level. Firmicutes abundance was significantly decreased (P(fdr) < 0.01), while Proteobacteria abundance was significantly increased (P(fdr) < 0.01) in patients with cirrhosis accompanied by ascites; (2) LEfSe analysis revealed that 29 intestinal microbiota (18 in the HBLC-WA group and 11 in the HBLC-WOA group) played a significant role in the disease group. The unclassified Enterobacteriaceae and Klebsiella species in the HBLC-WA group and Enterobacteriaceae in the HBLC-WOA group were positively correlated with the Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score, prothrombin time, and international normalized ratio score and negatively correlated with albumin and hemoglobin levels (P < 0.05). Escherichia and Shigella in the HBLC-WA group were positively correlated with CTP scores (P < 0.05); (3) The correlation analysis results between the KEGG pathway and 29 specific intestinal microbiota revealed that Enterobacteriaceae and arachidonic acid, α-linolenic acid, glycerolipid metabolism, and fatty acid degradation were positively correlated in the lipid metabolism pathway, while most Enterobacteriaceae were positively correlated with branched-chain amino acid degradation and negatively correlated with aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in the amino acid metabolic pathway. Conclusion: A significant increment of Enterobacteriaceae in the intestines of HBLC-WA patients influenced hepatic reserve function and was associated with amino acid and lipid metabolic pathways. Therefore, attention should be paid to controlling the intestinal microbiota to prevent complications and improve the prognosis in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis, especially in those with ascites.

[Bilateral simultaneous non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: a case report].

A 62-year-old female patient presented with binocular vision loss for 10 days. Fundus photography and optical coherence tomography showed bilateral optic disc edema. Fundus fluorescein angiography showed hypofluorescence of the optic disc in the early stage, but irregular filling defects and segmental hyperfluorescence in the late stage. The diagnosis of bilateral simultaneous non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy was made. The patient's visual acuity and visual field were improved after the use of megadose corticosteroids and comprehensive treatment. The prognosis of the patient was stable during the follow-up period.

[Left occipital dural arteriovenous fistulas presenting as right red eye: a case report].

A 63-year-old male with a healthy history presented with a red and swollen right eye for 3 months. Neuro-ophthalmic examination showed slight bulging of the right eyeball, and multiple spiral conjunctival vessels were visible on the surface of the right conjunctiva, suggesting a right carotid cavernous fistula. Cerebral angiography showed left occipital dural arteriovenous fistulas. After endovascular embolization treatment, the patient's abnormal craniocerebral venous drainage and right eye syndrome resolved, and there was no recurrence during the one-month clinical follow-up after surgery.