Imaging, pathology, and diagnosis of solitary fibrous tumor of the pancreas: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: A solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is often located in the pleura, while SFT of the pancreas is extremely rare. Here, we report a case of SFT of the pancreas and discuss imaging, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry for accurate diagnosis and treatment. CASE SUMMARY: A 54-year-old man presented to our hospital with pancreatic occupancy for over a month. There were no previous complaints of discomfort. His blood pressure was normal. Blood glucose, tumor markers, and enhanced computed tomography (CT) suggested a malignant tumor. Because the CT appearance of pancreatic cancer varies, we could not confirm the diagnosis; therefore, we performed endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB). Pathology and immunohistochemistry were consistent with SFT of the pancreas. The postoperative pathology and immunohistochemistry were consistent with the puncture results. The patient presented for a follow-up examination one month after discharge with no adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Other diseases must be excluded in patients with a pancreatic mass that cannot be diagnosed. CT and pathological histology have diagnostic value for pancreatic tumors. Endoscopic puncture biopsy under ultrasound can help diagnose pancreatic masses that cannot be diagnosed preoperatively. Surgery is an effective treatment for SFT of the pancreas; however, long-term follow-up is strongly recommended because of the possibility of malignant transformation of the tumor.

Analysis of Risk Factors for Postherpetic Neuralgia in Patients With Postmalignancy Herpes Zoster.

BACKGROUND: The high risk of developing postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is associated with severe immunosuppressive diseases. A malignancy itself, as well as surgery, radiotherapy, and other treatments, can lead to changes in the immune status of the body and predispose patients with a malignancy to PHN. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors of postherpetic neuralgia in herpes zoster (HZ) after a malignant tumor and to provide better preventive strategies for clinical practice. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. SETTING: The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, People's Republic of China. METHODS: Patients who developed HZ after being diagnosed with a malignant tumor in the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from September 2018 through March 2022 were included in the research. A total of 70 patients were included, including 31 men and 39 women, aged 18- 82 years old (mean, SD: 59.77 ± 13.95). According to the occurrence of PHN, they were divided into a non-PHN (n = 46) and a PHN group (n = 24). General information about the patients was collected, including clinical data, treatment status, and prognosis. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted of influencing factors. RESULTS: A total of 19 factors, including gender, age, and white blood cell count, were included. A univariate analysis showed that there were differences in age, tumor stage, Numeric Rating Scale (NRS-11) score, and the use of antiviral drugs between the 2 groups; these differences were statistically significant, P <0.05. A multifactorial analysis revealed that the acute phase NRS-11 score (odds ratio [OR] = 4.21; 95% CI, 1.59-2.24, P = 0.004), antiviral drug use (OR = 0.28; 95% CI, 0.10-0.82, P = 0.020), and tumor stage (OR = 0.28, 95% CI, 0.08-0.98, P = 0.047) were statistically significant for the effect of PHN occurring in postmalignancy HZ. There was a statistically significant difference between the group with severe pain in the acute phase NRS-11 score and the group with mild and moderate pain, P < 0.05. There was a statistically significant difference between the group treated with 2 antivirals and the group not treated with antivirals, P < 0.05. LIMITATIONS: There are some limitations in our research. It was conducted at a single center, with a single race, and had a small sample size. A larger-scale study should be conducted to analyze the influencing factors of PHN in patients with herpes zoster after a malignant tumor. CONCLUSIONS: The NRS-11 score in the acute phase, whether the use of antiviral drugs in sufficient quantities, and tumor staging are the influencing factors of PHN after malignant tumors.

Importance of GWAS risk loci and clinical data in predicting asthma using machine-learning approaches.

INTRODUCTION: To understand the risk factors of asthma, we combined genome-wide association study (GWAS) risk loci and clinical data in predicting asthma using machine-learning approaches. METHODS: A case-control study with 123 asthmatics and 100 controls was conducted in the Zhuang population in Guangxi. GWAS risk loci were detected using polymerase chain reaction, and clinical data were collected. Machine-learning approaches were used to identify the major factors that contribute to asthma. RESULTS: A total of 14 GWAS risk loci with clinical data were analyzed on the basis of 10 times the 10-fold cross-validation for all machine-learning models. Using GWAS risk loci or clinical data, the best performances exhibited area under the curve (AUC) values of 64.3% and 71.4%, respectively. Combining GWAS risk loci and clinical data, the XGBoost established the best model with an AUC of 79.7%, indicating that the combination of genetics and clinical data can enable improved performance. We then sorted the importance of features and found the top six risk factors for predicting asthma to be rs3117098, rs7775228, family history, rs2305480, rs4833095, and body mass index. CONCLUSION: Asthma-prediction models based on GWAS risk loci and clinical data can accurately predict asthma, and thus provide insights into the disease pathogenesis.

Role of Sensory Pathway Injury in Central Post-Stroke Pain: A Narrative Review of Its Pathogenetic Mechanism.

Central post-stroke pain (CPSP) is a severe chronic neuropathic pain syndrome that is a direct result of cerebrovascular lesions affecting the central somatosensory system. The pathogenesis of this condition remains unclear owing to its extensive clinical manifestations. Nevertheless, clinical and animal experiments have allowed a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying CPSP occurrence, based on which different theoretical hypotheses have been proposed. We reviewed and collected the literature and on the mechanisms of CPSP by searching the English literature in PubMed and EMBASE databases for the period 2002-2022. Recent studies have reported that CPSP occurrence is mainly due to post-stroke nerve injury and microglial activation, with an inflammatory response leading to central sensitization and de-inhibition. In addition to the primary injury at the stroke site, peripheral nerves, spinal cord, and brain regions outside the stroke site are involved in the occurrence and development of CPSP. In the present study, we reviewed the mechanism of action of CPSP from both clinical studies and basic research based on its sensory pathway. Through this review, we hope to increase the understanding of the mechanism of CPSP.

Therapeutic Mechanism of Xiaoqinglong Decoction against COVID-19 Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Technology.

BACKGROUND: A xiaoqinglong decoction (XQLD) has been proven effective in treating severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases; however, the mechanism remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: In the current study, we used network pharmacology and molecular docking technology to identify the effective components, potential targets, and biological pathways of XQLD against COVID-19. METHODS: Public databases were searched to determine the putative targets of the active compounds of XQLD and COVID-19-related targets. STRING and Cytoscape were used to establish the protein-protein interaction network and drug component, along with the target-pathway network. The DAVID database was used to enrich the biological functions and signaling pathways. AutoDock Vina was used for virtual docking. RESULTS: We identified 138 active compounds and 259 putative targets of XQLD. Biological network analysis showed that quercetin, beta-sitosterol, kaempferol, stigmasterol, and luteolin may be critical ingredients of XQLD, whereas VEGFA, IL-6, MAPK3, CASP3, STAT3, MAPK1, MAPK8, CASP8, CCL2, and FOS may be candidate drug targets. Enrichment analysis illustrated that XQLD could function by regulating viral defense, inflammatory response, immune response, and apoptosis. Molecular docking results showed a high affinity between the critical ingredients and host cell target proteins. CONCLUSION: This study uncovered the underlying pharmacological mechanism of XQLD against COVID-19. These findings lay a solid foundation for promoting the development of new drugs against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection and may contribute to the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chloroplast Genome Sequences and Comparative Analyses of Combretaceae Mangroves with Related Species.

In the Combretaceae family, only two species of Lumnitzera and one species of Laguncularia belong to mangroves. Among them, Lumnitzera littorea (Jack) Voigt. is an endangered mangrove plant in China for the limited occurrence and seed abortion. In contrast, Lumnitzera racemosa Willd. is known as the most widespread mangrove plant in China. Laguncularia racemosa C. F. Gaertn., an exotic mangrove in China, has the fast growth and high adaptation ability. To better understand the phylogenetic positions of these mangroves in Combretaceae and in Myrtales and to provide information for studies on evolutionary adaptation for intertidal habitat, the complete chloroplast (cp) genomes of Lu. racemosa and La. racemosa were sequenced. Furthermore, we present here the results from the assembly and annotation of the two cp genomes, which were further subjected to the comparative analysis with Lu. littorea cp genomes we published before and other eleven closely related species within Myrtales. The chloroplast genomes of the three Combretaceae mangrove species: Lu. littorea, Lu. racemosa, and La. racemosa are 159,687 bp, 159,473 bp, and 158,311 bp in size. All three cp genomes host 130 genes including 85 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNAs, and 4 rRNAs. A comparative analysis of those three genomes revealed the high similarity of genes in coding-regions and conserved gene order in the IR and LSC/SSC regions. The differences between Lumnitzera and Laguncularia cp genomes are the locations of rps19 and rpl2 genes in the IR/SC boundary regions. Investigating the effects of selection events on shared protein-coding genes showed a relaxed selection had acted on the ycf2, ycf1, and matK genes of Combretaceae mangroves compared to the nonmangrove species Eucalyptus aromaphloia. The phylogenetic analysis based on the whole chloroplast genome sequence with one outgroup species strongly supported three Combretaceae mangroves together with other two Combretaceae species formed a cluster in Combretaceae. This study is the first report on the comparative analysis of three Combretaceae mangrove chloroplast genomes, which will provide the significant information for understanding photosynthesis and evolution in Combretaceae mangrove plants.

GSP-2, a polysaccharide extracted from Ganoderma sinense, is a novel toll-like receptor 4 agonist.

Ganoderma sinense is a Chinese unique medicinal fungus that has been used in folk medicine for thousands of years. Polysaccharides are considered to be biologically active ingredients due to their immune-modulating functions. Previously we found that GSP-2, a new polysaccharide isolated from Ganoderma sinense, exerts an immunomodulatory effect in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells but the underlying mechanism is unclear. The present study aimed to investigate how GSP-2 triggers immunologic responses and the implicated signaling pathways. GSP-2 effects were investigated both in a macrophagic cell line, RAW264.7, and in primary macrophages. Moreover, the molecular basis of GSP-2 recognition by immune cells, and the consequent activation of signaling cascades, were explored by employing recombinant human HEK293-TLR-Blue clones, individually overexpressing various Toll-like receptors. GSP-2 dose-dependently induced the overexpression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) but did not affect the expression of other TLRs. Moreover, GSP-2 induced TNFα secretion in primary macrophages from wild-type, but not TLR4-knockout mice. In addition, GSP-2 upregulated TLR4 protein expression and activated the MAPK pathway in RAW246.7 macrophages. Finally, GSP-2 induced the production of the cytokines TNFα, IL1ß, and IL6. Our data demonstrated that GSP-2 was specifically recognized by TLR4, promoting cytokine secretion and immune modulation in macrophages.

Complete plastome sequence of Torenia benthamiana Hance (Linderniaceae), an endemic herb in South China.

Torenia benthamiana Hance is an endemic plant species distributed in southern China. In this study, we report and characterize the complete plastid genome sequence of T. benthamiana in order to provide genomic resources helpful for promoting its conservation and garden utilization. The complete plastome is 153,526 bp in length and contains the typical quadripartite structure of angiosperm plastome, including two inverted repeat (IR) regions of 24,638 bp, a large single-copy (LSC) region of 85,417 bp, and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,833 bp. The plastome contains 114 genes, consisting of 80 unique protein-coding genes, 30 unique tRNA gene, and 4 unique rRNA genes. The overall A/T content in the plastome of T. benthamiana is 62.40%. The complete plastome sequence of T. benthamiana will provide a useful resource for the conservation and garden utilization of this species as well as for the phylogenetic studies of Linderniaceae.

Complete plastome sequence of Torenia concolor Lindley (Linderniaceae): an ornamental herb.

In this study we firstly reported the complete chloroplast genome of Torenia concolor, a species of Linderniaceae. The complete chloroplast genome of T. concolor is 153,853 bp in length with a typical quadripartite structure, consisting of a large single-copy region (LSC, 85,446 bp), a single-copy region (SSC, 18,837 bp), and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 24,785 bp). There are 114 genes annotated, including 80 unique protein-coding genes, 4 unique ribosomal RNA genes, and 30 transfer RNA genes. To investigate the evolution status of T. concolor, as well as Linderniaceae, we constructed a phylogenetic tree with T. concolor and other 16 species based on their complete chloroplast genomes. According to the phylogenetic topologies, T. concolor was closely related to Pedicularis hallaisanensis.

Complete plastome sequence of Lysimachia congestiflora Hemsl. a medicinal and ornamental species in Southern China.

Lysimachia congestiflora Hemsl. is a perennial herb of Primulaceae. It is mainly distributed in the provinces to the south of the Changjiang River and south of Shanxi, Gansu province and Taiwan. It is a plant that combines medicinal, ornamental, and economic values. To date no study has been carried out on the genome of L. congestiflora. Here, we report and characterize the complete plastid genome sequence of L. congestiflora in order to provide genomic resources useful for promoting its conservation. The complete chloroplast genome of L. congestiflora is 154,505 bp in length with a typical quadripartite structure, consisting of a large single-copy region (LSC, 84,606 bp), a single-copy region (SSC, 17,961 bp), and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 25,969 bp). There are 114 annotated genes, including 80 unique protein-coding genes, 4 unique ribosomal RNA genes, and 30 transfer RNA genes. To investigate the evolution status of L. congestiflora, as well as Primulaceae, we constructed a phylogenetic tree with L. congestiflora and other 11 species based on their complete chloroplast genomes. According to the phylogenetic topologies, L. congestiflora was closely related to L. coreana.

Complete plastome sequence of Ilex asprella (Hooker and Arnott) Champion ex Bentham (Aquifoliaceae), a Chinese folk herbal medicine.

The complete chloroplast genome of Ilex asprella, a species of Aquifoliaceae is reported for the first time in this study. The complete chloroplast genome of I. asprella is 157,856 bp in length with a typical quadripartite structure, consisting of a large single-copy region (LSC, 87,258 bp), a single-copy region (SSC, 18,441 bp) and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 26,082 bp). There are 114 genes annotated, including 85 unique protein-coding genes, four unique ribosomal RNA genes, and 30 transfer RNA genes. To investigate the evolution status of T. concolor, as well as Scrophulariaceae, we build a phylogenetic tree with I. asprella and other eight species based on their complete chloroplast genomes. According to the phylogenetic topologies, I. asprella was closely related to I. wilsonii.

Complete plastome sequence of Rhodoleia championii Hook. f. (Hamamelidaceae).

The complete chloroplast genome of Rhodoleia championii (Hamamelidaceae) was firstly reported in this study. The complete chloroplast genome of R. championii is 159,115 bp in length with a typical quadripartite structure, consisting of a large single-copy region (LSC, 88,123 bp), a single-copy region (SSC, 18,131 bp) and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 26,420 bp). There are 114 genes annotated, including 80 unique protein-coding genes, 4 unique ribosomal RNA genes, and 30 transfer RNA genes. According to the phylogenetic tree of R. championii and the other 9 species, R. championii was closely related to Chunia bucklandioides.

Determination of swainsonine in the endophytic Undifilum fungi by high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light-scattering detector.

Endophytic Undifilum oxytropis found within toxic locoweeds (Astragalus and Oxytropis spp.) produces the indolizidine alkaloid swainsonine, which is responsible for locoism in grazing animals. The aim of the current study is to establish an easy and accurate method for the determination of swainsonine in the endophytic Undifilum fungi. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with evaporative light-scattering detector (ELSD) was used for the assay of swainsonine in this study for the first time. The HPLC conditions were Waters XBridge hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography column using acetonitrile-5 mM ammonium acetate (1:1, vol/vol) containing 0.02% (vol/vol) aqueous ammonium hydroxide as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. ELSD conditions were optimized at nebulizer-gas flow rate of 25 psi and drift tube temperature of 55 °C. The method was validated to achieve the satisfactory precision and recovery, and the calibration range was 15.625-250 µg/mL. Application of the developed analytical procedure to determine swainsonine content in the endophytic Undifilum fungi samples ensured its suitability for the routine analysis of swainsonine.

[Retrospective analysis of ocular cicatricial pemphigoid].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characterization of ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP). METHODS: It was a retrospective series case study. Five consecutive patients referred for the evaluation of possible OCP from January 2005 to October 2008 in Departments of Ophthalmology and Dermatology of Peking University First Hospital. History and clinical characterization of 5 cases (10 eyes) OCP having been misdiagnosed were analyzed to find the causes of misdiagnosis. RESULTS: All of cases were diagnosed as chronic conjunctivitis during the early stages of the diseases, one case was diagnosed as Stevens-Johnson syndrome and one as Sjögren syndrome during the later stage. It was two to five years from the first time to see a doctor to definite diagnosis. All of cases have been prescribed antibiotic eye drops for a long times, one case has been undergone three times trichiasis operation and made the disease progression. Among the five patients with OCP, 3 eyes were diagnosed Stage II, 5 eyes Stage III, 2 eyes Stage IV. Three cases were positive of bacterial culture. Only in 1 case, there was slight increase of iron protein as tumor mark. Inflammation was controlled by the end of the study, but cicatrization of 2 cases still progressed. CONCLUSION: Manifestation of OCP can mimic chronic conjunctivitis during the early stages, it is important to pay high attention to OCP, misdiagnosis may be stopped.

[Experimental study on tracheal reconstruction using porous titanium rings and free skin flap].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of the cervical tracheal reconstruction using porous titanium rings and free skin flap. METHODS: Twelve adult mongrel dogs were divided randomly into group I and group lI. A segment of cervical trachea (25 mm, 4 rings, about 2/3 circumference) was resected and a rectangular free skin flap was harvested from abdomen. The flap was sutured to the defect part and supported with two porous titanium rings (group I) or without (group II ). X ray and fiberscopic examinations were performed at the end of the first and the sixth months postoperatively. After six months the dogs were sacrificed and the grafts were examined macroscopically and microscopically. RESULTS: In group I, one dog was sacrificed for wound infection and skin flap necrosis with deflexion of titanium rings in the fifth day postoperatively. The other 5 of 6 survived until the end of six months. X-ray examination showed titanium rings were fastened well without displacement or deformity. Through fiberscopy, the trachea luminal patency was maintained well without stricture, shrinkage or necrosis. Histologic examination showed most of the inner surface of the flap was covered with ciliated columnar epithelium. In group II, 3 of 6 dogs died of suffocation within 24 hours postoperatively. The remaining 3 dogs survived from 7 to 16 days with dyspnea and fiberscopic examination showed narrowed trachea lumens. CONCLUSIONS: Porous titanium rings could recreate the framework for cervical tracheal reconstruction using free skin flap and would be one of the options for tracheal reconstruction.

[Preliminary observation the correlation between lid-wiper epitheliopathy and dry eye].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of lid-wiper epitheliopathy (LWE) and risk factors in dry eye patients. METHODS: One hundred forty-one patients (141 eyes) were recruited in Peking University First Hospital from September 2006 to March 2007. These patients were divided into three groups based on the dry eye symptoms and the results of break up time, Schirmer I test and corneal fluorescein staining. Group A: 60 patients (60 eyes) with no dry eye symptoms and normal results of BUT, Schirmer I test and corneal fluorescein staining. Group B: 51 patients (51 eyes) with dry eye symptoms and normal results of BUT, Schirmer I test and corneal fluorescein staining. Group C: 30 patients (30 eyes) with dry eye. The patients in group A and group B were further divided into two subgroups based on wearing contact lens. Subgroup A1:30 patients (30 eyes) with no contact lens wearers; Subgroup A2:30 patients (30 eyes) with contact lens wearers. Subgroup B1:21 patients (21 eyes) with no contact lens wearers; Subgroup B2: 30 patients (30 eyes) with contact lens wearers. Lid-wiper staining was graded in all patients following the instillation of fluorescein and lissamine green dyes. Impression cytology (IC) was made up in the patients in group C and the patients with LWE in group B. RESULTS: The prevalence of LWE was 18.3% (11 patients), 86.3% (44 patients) and 100.0% (30 patients) in group A, B, C respectively. The prevalence of LWE was 13.3% (4 patients), 23.3% (7 patients), 81.0% (17 patients) and 90.0% (27 cases) in subgroup A, A2, B1, and B2. There was a significant statistical difference in the prevalence of LWE among groups A, B and C (X2 = 78.256, P < 0.01). There were no statistical difference in the prevalence of LWE between subgroup A2 and subgroup A1 (X2 = 1.002, P = 0.253), subgroup B2 and subgroup B1 (X2 = 0.854, P = 0.301). In group B, IC was graded as mark zero in 74.0% of patients with LWE, as mark one in 26.0% of patients with LWE. In group C, IC was graded as mark one in 40.0% of patients, as mark two in 50.0% of patients, and as mark three in 10.0% of patients. There was a significant statistical difference in grade of IC between group B and C (M-W = 36.0, P < 0.01). The result of the corneal fluorescein staining was positive in 18.8% of patients with LWE. The result of lissamine green staining was positive in 14. 1% of patients with LWE. However, the result of both fluorescein and lissamine green staining was 67. 1% in patients with LWE. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of LWE is higher in patients with dry eye symptoms and normal results of BUT, Schirmer I test and corneal fluorescein staining. LWE may be an early manifestation of the dry eye.