The Key Metabolites in Rice Quality Formation of Conventional japonica Varieties.

To understand differences in the quality of different conventional japonica rice varieties and variations in metabolites related to rice quality, the quality of three conventional japonica varieties was determined, and the metabolites of the milled rice were investigated using nontargeted metabolomics technology. The results showed that the taste value (TV) of Yangda 4Hao (YD4) was significantly higher than that of Yangda 3Hao (YD3) and Huaidao 5Hao (HD5). The protein content (PC) of HD5 was significantly higher than that of YD3 and YD4. PC was significantly negatively correlated with TV. Ninety-one differential metabolites (59 increased and 32 decreased) were identified between YD3 and HD5. A total of 144 differential metabolites (96 upregulated and 48 downregulated) were identified between YD4 and HD5. A total of 114 differential metabolites (40 increased and 74 decreased) were identified between YD3 and YD4. The metabolites with a high correlation to rice quality were mostly involved in the amino acid metabolism pathway. Amino acid metabolites play an important role in the formation of rice quality. The key metabolites in the synthesis and regulation of metabolic pathways are sucrose, levan, and amylose, which are carbohydrates, and L-glutamine, L-aspartic acid, and L-asparagine, which are amino acid metabolites. It can be seen from this study that the metabolites of sucrose, levan, amylose, L-glutamine, L-aspartic acid, and L-asparagine may be the key metabolites in the quality formation of high-quality rice varieties.

Association of triglyceride-glucose index with incident hypertension among non-overweight healthy adults: A cohort study in China.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Overweight and obesity are well recognized as important and traditional risk factors for hypertension (HTN), but the prevalence of HTN tends to increase in non-overweight people. Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index has been observed to be associated with HTN. However, whether such association still persists in non-overweight people remains unclear. The aim of our cohort study was to explore the link between TyG index and incident HTN in non-overweight Chinese population. METHODS AND RESULTS: As many as 4678 individuals without HTN at baseline were involved, who underwent at least two years of health check-ups in the eight-year study period and maintained non-overweight at follow-up. According to baseline TyG index quintiles, participants were classified into five groups. Compared with the 1st quantile, those in the 5th quantile of TyG index had a 1.73-fold (HR 95% CI 1.13-2.65) risk of incident HTN. The results remained consistent when analyses were restricted to participants without abnormal TG or FPG level at baseline (HR 1.62, 95% CI 1.17-2.26). Furthermore, the subgroup analyses were conducted, the risk of incident HTN was still significantly increased with increasing TyG index for subgroups of older participants (age≥ 40 years), males, females and higher BMI group (BMI≥ 21 kg/m2). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of incident HTN increased with increasing TyG index among Chinese non-overweight adults, so TyG index might be a reliable predictor of incident HTN among adults maintaining non-overweight.

LncRNA AGXT2L1-2:2 facilitates keratinocytes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis by interacting with estrogen-related receptor alpha in psoriasis.

Our previous studies have revealed that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) AGXT2L1-2:2 was highly expressed in keratinocytes of psoriasis. However, the functions of lnc-AGXT2L1-2:2 in keratinocytes remain unknown. Meanwhile, co-expression network analysis indicated lnc-AGXT2L1-2:2 could interact with estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα). In this study, interleukin (IL)-17A could stimulate the production of lnc-AGXT2L1-2:2 in keratinocytes, thus establishing an in vitro cellular model of psoriasis. Lnc-AGXT2L1-2:2 was overexpressed using lentiviral-vector and ERRα was downregulated with small interfering RNA. Then the effects of lnc-AGXT2L1-2:2 and ERRα on viability, apoptosis, and cell cycle in IL-17A-stimulated keratinocytes were assessed by CCK-8, EdU assay, and flow cytometry. We found that lnc-AGXT2L1-2:2 and ERRα both resulted in higher proliferation ability, lower apoptosis rates, and reduction of G0/G1 phase proportion. Furthermore, lnc-AGXT2L1-2:2 could promote the expression of ERRα and siERRα antagonized the effects of lnc-AGXT2L1-2:2 on the phenotypes above in IL-17A-induced keratinocytes. In conclusion, lnc-AGXT2L1-2:2 was found to promote keratinocytes proliferation, inhibit cell apoptosis and the effects of lnc-AGXT2L1-2:2 on keratinocytes are dependent on ERRα.

Analysis of microcystins using high-performance liquid chromatography and magnetic solid-phase extraction with silica-coated magnetite with cetylpyridinium chloride.

Microcystins (MCs), produced by freshwater cyanobacteria, can be serious water pollutants, so it is important to monitor their concentration in drinking water. We have developed a method for rapid and accurate determination of microcystin levels in environmental water, using magnetic solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The magnetic composite material, which was combined with cetylpyridinium chloride, was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. The optimal extraction of microcystins in water sample was achieved by optimizing the amount of adsorbent, time of adsorption, ratio of eluting solvent, and volume of eluent. Under the optimal conditions, the limit of detection of MC-LR was 0.001 µg/L, and the limit of quantification was 0.0028 µg/L. The limit of detection of MC-RR was 0.001 µg/L, and the limit of quantification was 0.003 µg/L. These values are far lower than those established by the International Health Organization for the maximum concentration of microcystins in drinking water. The magnetic solid-phase extraction adsorbent used in this method has the advantages of simple preparation, low price, and easy solid-liquid separation, and it can be used for the rapid and sensitive monitoring of trace microcystins in environmental water samples.

Preparation and application of a coated-fiber needle extraction device.

In this study, a needle-trap device with fibers coated with a molecularly imprinted polymer was developed for separation. A number of heat-resistant Zylon filaments were longitudinally packed into a glass capillary, followed by coating with a molecularly imprinted polymer. Then, the molecularly imprinted polymer coating was copolymerized and anchored onto the surface of the fibers. The bundle of synthetic fibers coated with the molecularly imprinted polymer was packed into a 21G stainless-steel needle and served as an extraction medium. The coated-fiber needle extraction device was used to extract volatile organic compounds from paints and gasoline effectively. Subsequently, the extracted volatile organic compounds were analyzed by gas chromatography. Calibration curves of gaseous benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-xylene in the concentration range of 1-250 µg/L were obtained to evaluate the method, acceptable linearity was attended with correlation coefficients above 0.998. The limit of detection of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-xylene was 11-20 ng/L using the coated-fiber needle-trap device. The relative standard deviation of needle-to-needle repeatability was less than 8% with an extraction time of 20 min. The loss rates after storage for 3 and 7 days at room temperature were less than 30%.

Temporal Profile of the Microbial Community and Volatile Compounds in the Third-Round Fermentation of Sauce-Flavor baijiu in the Beijing Region.

Sauce-flavor baijiu produced in the Beijing and Guizhou regions has regional characteristic flavors, but the differences in flavor compounds and reasons for their formation remain unclear. The sauce-flavor baijiu brewing process involves several rounds of fermentation. In this study, we investigated the temporal distribution of microbial communities and flavor substances during the third round of sauce-flavor baijiu fermentation in the Beijing region, and we then compared and analyzed the differences of flavor substances and microorganisms in the fermented grains of sauce-flavor baijiu in the Beijing and Guizhou regions. It was found that 10 bacterial genera and 10 fungal genera were dominant in the fermented grains. The acidity of the fermented grains had a significant driving effect on the microbial community succession. A total of 81 volatile compounds were identified and quantified in the fermented grains, of which esters and alcohols were relatively abundant. The differences in 30 microbial community compositions and their resulting differences in terms of the fermentation parameters of fermented grains are responsible for the differences in the profiles of flavor compounds between sauce-flavor baijiu produced in the Beijing and Guizhou regions.

Lipidomic analysis of grain quality variation in high quality aromatic japonica rice.

To maintain the purity of the seeds and rice quality of the high-quality rice varieties, five lines with similar field and yield traits were selected from the Nanjing46 population in Liyang and used as study materials, and the original progeny were used as the control material for comparing rice quality and lipid metabolites in this study. The rice quality of the five lines still differed compared to CKN1. The Badh2-E2 gene was detected in all five lines, but its 2-AP content differed. The C11:0 content in CKN1 and VN1 was significantly greater than that in the other four lines. Most of the differentially abundant metabolites were phospholipids, including PA(16:0/18:2), PC(15:0/16:0) and PG(16:0/16:0). These metabolites can be used as potential metabolic markers for identifying quality variation. This study presents a novel methodology and theoretical framework for investigating varietal degradation and ensuring seed purity authentication.

Microfluidic device reveals new insights into impairment of neutrophil transmigration in patients with sepsis.

Neutrophils need to migrate through tight tissue spaces to eliminate pathogens, but their movement is often hindered by their large and stiff nuclei. Neutrophil migration is impaired in sepsis patients, but it is unclear whether this defect is related to the deformability of their nuclei. Herein, we designed microfluidic devices with micron-scale narrow slits to simulate biological barriers. This setup allowed us to observe and record neutrophil movement and nuclear deformation in real-time. We also developed a method for morphological analysis to quantify nucleus deformation in numerous individual cells. Our studies showed that neutrophils from healthy individuals could adjust their nuclear shape to squeeze through these constrictions, whereas those from sepsis patients demonstrated less flexibility. Neutrophils with rigid nuclei struggled to pass through narrow gaps and were more likely to rupture under pressure. These findings suggest that the migration defects of neutrophils observed in sepsis may be attributed to the inability of neutrophils to deform their nuclei, highlighting the crucial role of microfluidic technologies in offering new insights into migration defects under pathological conditions.

Assessing Morinidazole for Surgical Site Infection in Class â ¢ Wounds Prevention: A Multicenter, Randomized, Single-Blind, Parallel-Controlled Study.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical site infections are significant postoperative risks, antibiotic prophylaxis is crucial due to the presence of anaerobic bacteria. This study investigated the efficacy and safety of a novel nitroimidazole, morinidazole, in SSI reduction in class Ⅲ wounds, as there is currently a lack of evidence in the existing literature. METHODS: A multicenter randomized clinical trial was conducted from December 2020 to October 2022 in the general surgery departments of 12 tertiary hospitals in China. 459 patients in two treatment groups using morinidazole plus ceftriaxone or ceftriaxone alone. Efficacy and safety were evaluated including SSI incidence, adverse events, and compliance. Statistical analysis employed SAS 9.4 software. Data analysis was performed from February to May 2023. RESULTS: A total of 440 participants (median [IQR] age, 63.0 [54.0, 70.0] years; 282 males [64.09%]; 437 patients were of Han race [99.32%]) were randomized. The experimental group exhibited a significantly lower SSI rate compared with the control group (31 [14.49%] vs 52 [23.01%]; risk difference, 1.76%, 95%CI, 1.08% to 2.88%; P=0.0224). The superficial incisional site infections revealed a marked reduction in the experimental group (12 [5.61%] vs 31 [13.37%]; risk difference,2.68%; 95%CI,1.34%to5.36%; P=0.0042). Non-surgical site infections, severe postoperative complications, and total adverse events showed no statistically significant differences between the groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The significant decrease in SSI rates and superficial incisional infections demonstrates morinidazole as a valuable prophylactic antibiotic. Our findings provided valuable insights for clinical practice, where this new-generation nitroimidazole can play a crucial role in SSI prevention.

Differences in the metabolites of brown and milled rice grains of semiwaxy and conventional japonica varieties.

In this study, we analyzed the differences in metabolites between semiwaxy japonica rice (Yangnongxiang 28 [YNX28]) and conventional japonica rice (Hongyang 5 [HY5]) before and after brown rice milling. The metabolites of brown and milled rice grains from the two rice varieties were analyzed by LC-MS-based nontargeted metabolomics. A total of 266 differentially abundant metabolites (DMs) were tentatively identified in brown rice grains of YNX28 (YNX28B) compared with milled rice grains of YNX28 (YNX28H), and these included 248 upregulated and 12 downregulated DMs. A total of 273 (234 upregulated and 39 downregulated) DMs were tentatively identified in brown rice grains of HY5 (HY5B) compared with milled rice grains of this variety (HY5H). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway involved and enrichment analyses revealed that 53 and 7 metabolite pathways were enriched and significantly enriched (p < 0.05), respectively, in the DMs identified in YNX28B compared with YNX28H, and the main enriched pathways were related to starch and sucrose metabolism, glycerol phospholipid metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, and glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. Forty-six metabolite pathways were enriched in DMs identified in HY5B compared with HY5H, and these included 16 pathways that were significantly enriched (p < 0.05); in addition, the main enriched pathways were related to starch and sucrose metabolism, glycerol phospholipid metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, and glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. This study provides a theoretical reference for further on the changes in metabolites during rice processing and provides a basis for improving the nutritional quality in rice. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Original data were obtained regarding the changes of different metabolites in semiwaxy japonica rice and conventional japonica rice before and after processing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference of metabolite loss in two rice varieties before and after processing. This paper reports on the differences of metabolites between the two types of japonica rice before and after processing, as well as the changes of key metabolites before and after processing, it also provides important theoretical basis for developing new rice varieties with good nutritional quality.

Analysis of Adverse Reactions of Cosmetics in Chinese Han Population in Recent Five Years.

Background: There are still some gaps in the summary and generalization of cosmetic-related adverse reaction reports. Objective: The aim of this study is to summarize and analyze the occurrence of cosmetic adverse reactions in Shanghai Han population by using available survey data. Materials and Methods: Collection, statistics and analysis of patients with cosmetic adverse reactions in Shanghai Huashan Hospital from 2017 to 2021. Results: Among the 1004 patients, most of them (96.71%) were diagnosed as cosmetic contact dermatitis, which often occurred within 3 days of using cosmetics (51.79%). A total of 260 patients were tested with patch test, but the compliance rate was only 18.08%. Among them, 240 patients underwent additional European standard allergen tests, and positive allergens were detected in 210 cases (87.5%). Univariate analysis revealed that dosage form (emulsion and cream), age (≤25 years) and the allergic ingredients triethanolamine, rose oil, propylene glycol, thiomersal and musk ambrette are associated with the occurrence of cosmetic adverse reactions within seven days. A logit prediction model was also successfully constructed: Logit (P) = 1.710-0.796×1 + 1.185×2 -3.650X3-1.335X4. Conclusion: This study complements the data reported on cosmetic adverse reactions in the Chinese Han population and suggests that in future clinical diagnosis and data collection, emphasis should be placed on patch testing, combining the patch test with cosmetic protoplast with the European standard allergen test to improve the detection rate.

Comparison of Metabolites and Main Nutritional Components between Uncooked and Cooked Purple Rice.

Cooking can lead to varying degrees of nutrient loss in purple rice. For this investigation, two varieties of purple rice (YZN1 and YZ6) were chosen as the focal points to explore the metabolites associated with rice nutrition post cooking using nontargeted and targeted metabolomics techniques. The results showed that after cooking the two purple rice varieties, the contents of the flavonoids; OPC; TP; total antioxidant capacity; and K, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ca, and Mg significantly decreased. Compared with YZN1U (YZN1 uncooked), the amino acid and mineral element contents in YZN1C (YZN1 cooked) decreased to varying degrees. After cooking YZ6, the contents of seven amino acids significantly decreased. Following the preparation of purple rice, the metabolites primarily engaged in the pathways of flavonoid synthesis and flavone and flavonol synthesis. Flavonoids, total antioxidant capacity, mineral elements, and amino acids showed a strong correlation with delphinidin and luteolin. The ROC analysis demonstrated that the value of the area under the curve for delphinidin and luteolin was 1 when comparing YZ6C (YZ6 cooked) and YZ6U (YZ6 uncooked), as well as YZN1C and YZN1U. Delphinidin and luteolin can be used as potential biomarkers of nutrient loss after cooking purple rice. This study holds significant implications for the balanced nutrition and healthy development of human dietary grains.

Metabolomics revealed metabolite biomarkers of antioxidant properties and flavonoid metabolite accumulation in purple rice after grain filling.

The correlation between flavonoids, phenolic metabolites and the total antioxidant capacity is well established. However, specific biomarkers of metabolites with antioxidant properties in purple rice grains remain unidentified. This study integrated nontargeted metabolomics, quantitative detection of flavonoids and phenolic compounds, and physiological and biochemical data to identify metabolite biomarkers of the antioxidant properties of purple rice grains after filling. The findings demonstrated a significant enhancement in the biosynthesis of flavonoids during the middle and late filling stages in purple rice grains. Additionally, the pathways involved in anthocyanin and flavonoid biosynthesis were significantly enriched. Catalase (CAT), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), total phenols (TP), flavonoids (FD), and oligomeric proanthocyanidin (OPC) were significantly correlated with philorizin, myricetin 3-galactoside, and trilobatin. Phlorizin, myricetin 3-galactoside, and trilobatin were metabolite biomarkers of antioxidant properties in purple rice grains. This study provides new ideas for the cultivation of high-quality coloured rice varieties with high antioxidant activity.

Integrated 16S and metabolomics revealed the mechanism of drought resistance and nitrogen uptake in rice at the heading stage under different nitrogen levels.

The normal methods of agricultural production worldwide have been strongly affected by the frequent occurrence of drought. Rice rhizosphere microorganisms have been significantly affected by drought stress. To provide a hypothetical basis for improving the drought resistance and N utilization efficiency of rice, the study adopted a barrel planting method at the heading stage, treating rice with no drought or drought stress and three different nitrogen (N) levels. Untargeted metabolomics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology were used to study the changes in microorganisms in roots and the differential metabolites (DMs) in rhizosphere soil. The results showed that under the same N application rate, the dry matter mass, N content and N accumulation in rice plants increased to different degrees under drought stress. The root soluble protein, nitrate reductase and soil urease activities were improved over those of the no-drought treatment. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Nitrospirota and Zixibacteria were the dominant flora related to N absorption. A total of 184 DMs (98 upregulated and 86 downregulated) were identified between low N with no drought (LN) and normal N with no drought (NN); 139 DMs (83 upregulated and 56 downregulated) were identified between high N with no drought (HN) and NN; 166 DMs (103 upregulated and 63 downregulated) were identified between low N with drought stress (LND) and normal N with drought stress (NND); and 124 DMs (71 upregulated and 53 downregulated) were identified between high N with drought stress (HND) and NND. Fatty acyl was the metabolite with the highest proportion. KEGG analysis showed that energy metabolism pathways, such as D-alanine metabolism and the phosphotransferase system (PTS), were enriched. We conclude that N-metabolism enzymes with higher activity and higher bacterial diversity have a significant effect on drought tolerance and nitrogen uptake in rice.

The Relationship Between Parent-Adolescent Communication and Depressive Symptoms: The Roles of School Life Experience, Learning Difficulties and Confidence in the Future.

Purpose: Adolescent depression has become a public health issue in China. Family environment and school life play important roles in shaping adolescent mental health. Our study aimed to examine the effect of parent-adolescent communication, school-life experiences, learning difficulties, and confidence in the future on depressive symptoms. We also examined the mediating effects of school-life experiences, learning difficulties, and confidence in the future on the relationship between parent-adolescent communication and depressive symptoms. Methods: Data on depressive symptoms, parent-adolescent communication, and mediating variables were obtained from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS), including baseline data (2013-2014) and follow-up data (2014-2015). Mixed-effect models were used to evaluate the effects of parent-adolescent communication, school-life experiences, learning difficulties, and confidence in the future on depressive symptoms, and path analyses were performed to determine the mediating roles of school-life experiences, learning difficulties, and confidence in the future on the relationship between parent-adolescent communication and adolescent depressive symptoms. Results: More father-adolescent communication, better school-life experiences, and higher confidence in the future were protective factors for depressive symptoms among all boys and girls, and learning difficulties were a risk factor for depressive symptoms among all boys and girls. School-life experiences, learning difficulties, and confidence in the future had statistically significant mediating effects on the relationship between parent-adolescent communication and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: More father-adolescent communication, higher confidence in the future, better school-life experiences, and fewer academic difficulties were associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms. Both mother-adolescent communication and father-adolescent communication affected depressive symptoms through their effects on school-life experience, learning difficulties, and confidence in the future. This finding highlighted the importance of parent-adolescent communication and its impact on depression.

Metabolites Associated with the Main Nutrients in Two Varieties of Purple Rice Processed to Polished Rice.

Under the same nitrogen fertilizer and cultivation conditions, the nutrients of rice are strongly affected during the processing of brown rice to polished rice, especially in special rice varieties. In this study, twenty-two amino acids in brown and polished rice of two purple rice varieties were quantified using targeted metabolomics, and the relationships among the main nutrients, mineral elements and metabolites were analysed. The results showed that the amino acid levels in YZN1_H (polished rice of Yangzinuo No. 1) and YZN2_H (polished rice of Yangzinuo No. 2) decreased to different degrees compared with those in YZN1_B (brown rice of Yangzinuo No. 1) and YZN2_B (brown rice of Yangzinuo No. 2). Citric acid is closely associated with amino acids. The total sugar (TS), ATP, and soluble dietary fiber (SDF) levels in YZN1_B decreased by 9.37%, 53.85%, and 75.71%, respectively, compared with those in YZN1_H. The TS, ATP, and SDF levels in YZN2_B decreased significantly by 6.92%, 21.03%, and 76.78%, respectively, compared with those in YZN2_H. Citric acid was significantly negatively correlated with ATP and SDF but significantly positively correlated with carotenoids. The Se content in YZN1_H was significantly higher than that in YZN1_B by 87.02%. The Se content in YZN2_H was significantly higher than that in YZN2_B by 72.02%. Citric acid was significantly positively correlated with Fe, Mn, Ca, and Mg. Citric acid was identified as a candidate key metabolite that affects changes in the main nutrients in purple rice during processing.

The Inflammatory Factor SNP May Serve as a Promising Biomarker for Acitretin to Alleviate Secondary Failure of Response to TNF-a Monoclonal Antibodies in Psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a common immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease. Although biological agents have achieved good clinical efficacy in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis, the phenomenon of secondary non-response (SNR) has been gradually recognized. SNR refers to the gradual decline of efficacy after the patient achieves clinical remission with biological agents such as TNF-α biologics. Acitretin, as an immunomodulatory systemic drug for psoriasis, can improve the SNR to biological agents with good tolerance, but there are still individual differences in efficacy. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of many related inflammatory cytokines have been shown to be important factors of individual differences in drug response in psoriasis, but there have been few reports on the use of pharmacogenomics to alleviate the SNR to biological agents. This study recruited 43 patients with psoriasis and 24 normal controls to investigate whether SNPs of inflammatory cytokines could be used as biomarkers for acitretin to alleviate SNR to TNF-α biologics in psoriasis, including rs1800795 (IL-6), rs6887695 (IL-12b), rs3212227 (IL-12b), rs10484879 (IL-17a), rs4819554 (IL-17ra), rs763780 (IL-17F), rs11209032 (IL23R), rs11209026 (IL23R), and rs2201841 (IL23R). The study also analyzed the correlation between the abovementioned SNPs and the efficacy of acitretin-only patients so as to understand whether the improvement is attributable to the intervention of acitretin on SNR or a simple response of acitretin. We found that in patients with homozygous AA (χ2 = 6.577, p = 0.02) at the SNP rs112009032 (IL-23R), acitretin could improve the SNR to TNFα monoclonal antibody. Patients with the genotype of TG (χ2 = 6.124, p = 0.035) at rs3212227 (IL-12B) were more sensitive to using acitretin in the treatment of psoriasis. Rs3212227 (χ2 = 7.664, p = 0.022) was also associated with the susceptibility to psoriasis. The study might provide a clinical decision reference for personalized treatment of secondary loss of response to psoriasis biologics.

Relationship between Different Psoriasis Types and Thyroid Dysfunction: A Retrospective Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between different psoriasis types and thyroid dysfunction. METHODS: The data of patients diagnosed with psoriasis between January 2013 and October 2018 who underwent thyroid function tests were collected. Free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), total triiodothyronine (TT3), total thyroxine (TT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb), and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) were measured. The thyroid function of patients with psoriasis vulgaris, pustular psoriasis, erythrodermic psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis was evaluated, and the differences in hormone levels and antibodies in the pituitary-thyroid axis with psoriasis type were analyzed. RESULTS: The data of a total of 468 patients were analyzed in this study. The proportion of normal hormone levels was higher among vulgaris patients (P < 0.001), while the erythrodermic patients were more likely to have decreased FT3 or FT4 but normal TSH (P < 0.001). FT3 levels were lower in pustular patients (P < 0.05), FT4 levels were lower in erythrodermic patients (P < 0.05), and TSH levels were higher in patients with psoriatic arthritis (P < 0.05). TPOAb levels were higher than normal in all patients, but there was no significant difference in the levels of TPOAb and TGAb among 4 types of the patients. CONCLUSION: Psoriasis is related to thyroid dysfunction, especially in patients with atypical psoriasis types. The possibility of complications should be considered in erythrodermic patients.

Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Chinese Patients With Erythrodermic Psoriasis: A Case-Control Study.

Erythroderma psoriasis (EP) is a rare and severe form of psoriasis, which is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that usually occurs simultaneously with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a significant precursor of CVD. This study was to investigate the association between EP and MetS in the Chinese population. We conducted a retrospective study on 86 consecutive patients with EP and 100 healthy controls from Huashan Hospital between 2013 and 2018. Demographic, biochemical parameters for MetS, and other relevant data including the severity of EP, family history of EP, age of onset, and treatment history involved in those individuals were recorded. The prevalence of MetS in erythrodermic psoriatic patients was 88.37%, which was significantly higher than that of controls (P < 0.0001). Erythrodermic psoriatic patients also had a higher prevalence of MetS components, including abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia and hypertension, whereas hyperglycemia was similar. Adjusted for confounding factors, MetS, abdominal obesity, hypertension, smoking and alcohol use were positive independent predictors of EP (odds ratio > 1, P < 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve calculated from determined risk factors for predicting the EP's incidence was 0.934 (95% CI 0.902-0.966). There was no correlation between the severity of EP and the prevalence of MetS. Compared with patients with mild EP, patients with moderate-to-severe EP had higher body mass index, waist circumstance and blood pressure (P < 0.05). We concluded that the prevalence of MetS and its components was higher in patients with EP. MetS an independent predictor of EP, which can favor CVD and should be encouraged to correct these cardiovascular risk factors aggressively for managing EP.

The effects of acupuncture for patients with psoriasis: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Psoriasis is a common chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease, which may have considerable detrimental effects on the quality of life. Considering high costs and side effects associated with the use of conventional medications, acupuncture, as one of complementary and alternative nonpharmacological therapies, is commonly used in the management of psoriasis for reducing itching, repairing the skin lesions, etc. However, the effects of acupuncture in the management of psoriasis are still inconsistent, especially in psychosocial abnormality due to psoriasis. Therefore, we designed a randomized controlled trials (RCT) involving a placebo control to ensure participants' blinding to investigate the effects of acupuncture for psoriasis in improving typical clinical symptoms and psychosocial abnormality. METHODS: A singlecenter RCT was designed. 220 participants who meet the eligibility criteria will be randomly allocated into manual acupuncture group or sham acupuncture group in a 1:1 ratio. Participants will respectively receive 15 minutes manual acupuncture or sham acupuncture per session, 3 sessions per week, totally 12 weeks. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scores, body surface area (BSA), Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 will be evaluated by blinded operators at baseline and 12 weeks. All analyses will be based on an intention-to-treat principle. The results will be published in an international peer-reviewed journal. DISCUSSION: The results of this study are expected to clarify the effects of acupuncture on improving typical clinical symptoms and psychosocial abnormality of patients with psoriasis. It will contribute to clinical practice of acupuncture in the management of psoriasis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trail Registry: ChiCTR2100045481. Registration date: April 17, 2021.