Risk factors for progression of pulmonary fibrosis: a single-centered, retrospective study.

Objective: This study aimed to identify clinical characteristics associated with the prevalence of progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) in interstitial lung disease (ILD) and to develop a prognostic nomogram model for clinical use. Methods: In this single-centered, retrospective study, we enrolled ILD patients with relatively comprehensive clinical data and assessed the incidence of PPF within a year using collected demographics, laboratory data, high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and pulmonary function test (PFT) results. We used a training cohort of ILD patients to identify early predictors of PPF and then validated them in an internal validation cohort and subsets of ILD patients using a multivariable logistic regression analysis. A prognostic nomogram was formulated based on these predictors, and the accuracy and efficiency were evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration plot, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: Among the enrolled patients, 120 (39.09%) cases had connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD), 115 (37.46%) had non-idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (non-IPF IIP), and 35 (11.4%) had hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). Overall, 118 (38.4%) cases experienced pulmonary fibrosis progression. We found that baseline DLco% pred (OR 0.92; 95% CI, 8.93-0.95) was a protective factor for ILD progression, whereas combined pneumonia (OR 4.57; 95% CI, 1.24-18.43), modified Medical Research Council dyspnea score (mMRC) (OR 4.9; 95% CI, 2.8-9.5), and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) score (OR 1.22; 95% CI, 1.07-1.42) were independent risk factors for PPF. The AUC of the proposed nomogram in the development cohort was 0.96 (95% CI, 0.94, 0.98), and the calibration plot showed good agreement between the predicted and observed incidence of PPF (Hosmer-Lemeshow test: P = 0.86). Conclusion: ILD patients with combined pneumonia, low baseline DLco% pred, high mMRC marks, and high HRCT scores were at higher risk of progression. This nomogram demonstrated good discrimination and calibration, indicating its potential utility for clinical practice.

[Connotation of Baimai disease and analysis of compatibility and usage of Baimai Ointment: based on Tibetan medicine theory].

Baimai is a complex of structure and function with the characteristics of wide distribution, complex structure, and multi-dimensional functions. Baimai, consisting of the channels in brain, the internal hidden channels connecting the viscera, and the external channels linking the limbs, governs the sensory, motor, and information transmission functions of human. According to Tibetan medicine, Baimai functions via "Long"(Qi) which moves in Baimai. "Long" is rough, light, cold, tiny, hard, and dynamic. The dysfunction of Baimai is manifested as numbness, swelling and pain, stiffness, atrophy, contracture, disability, hyperactivity, etc. The clinical manifestations of Baimai disease are facial paralysis, limb numbness, hemiplegia, contracture and rigidity, pain, opistho-tonos, paralysis, unconsciousness, head tremor, aphasia and tongue stiffness, and other abnormalities in facial consciousness, limb movement, and tactile sensation. Baimai Ointment for external use is used for the treatment of Baimai disease. It is mainly composed of medicinals which are spicy and bitter, warm, soft, mild, heavy, moist, and stable, and thus it is effective for the rough, light, cold, tiny, hard, and dynamic "Long" of Baimai disease. In clinical practice, it is mainly used for musculoskeletal diseases, such as osteoarthritis, scapulohumeral periarthritis, cervical spondylosis, low back pain, myofascitis, and tenosynovitis, nervous system diseases, such as paralysis and shoulder-hand syndrome, and limb stiffness caused by stroke, spastic cerebral palsy, trigeminal neuralgia, and facial neuritis, and limb motor and sensory dysfunction caused by trauma. According to the main symptoms of Baimai disease such as stiffness, rigidity, contraction, numbness, sensory disturbance and pain, clinicians should apply the Baimai Ointment via the inunction treatment of Tibetan medicine and in combination with Huo'ermai therapy and physiotherapy.

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of Pelteobagrus intermedius (Nichols et Pope).

Pelteobagrus intermedius is a unique freshwater fish native species in the Hainan Island and Guangxi and other water systems of China. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of P. intermedius was determined from whole genome Illumina sequencing data. The total length of the mtDNA was 16,532 bp, including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a non-coding control region. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the P. intermedius is closely related to Tachysurus fulvidraco. The results will serve as a helpful reference for further studies on the conservation genetics of genus Pelteobagrus.

[Identification of microsatellite markers associated with growth traits in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides L.)].

Forty microsatellite loci were selected to amplify the genomic DNA of cultured stock of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides L.) in China. Genotypic differences of these microsatellites loci were analyzed using 2-test between the maximal weight group and minimal weight group. Sixteen microsatellites showing significantly difference (P<0.1) were used in genotyping 121 individuals, and the associations between their genotypes and growth traits were examined. Microsatellite loci of JZL60, JZL67, JZL72, JZL124, MiSaTPW76, MiSaTPW117 and MiSaTPW173 were significantly associated with body weight, body length, and body height (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The most favorable genotypes for growth traits were AA at JZL60, BB at JZL67, AC at JZL72, BB at MiSaTPW76 and BC at MiSaTPW117. In addition, a total of 47 alleles for the 16 loci were detected (2 approximately 5 alleles for each locus). The average effective number of alleles (Ae), observed heterozygosity (Ho), expected heterozygosity (He) and mean polymorphic information content (PIC) was 2.938, 0.515, 0.500 and 0.445, respectively, both of which indicated that the population genetic diversity was medium.