Prognosis prediction signature of seven immune genes based on HPV status in cervical cancer

Cervical cancer (CC) has a high incidence and mortality rate, with a low 5-year survival rate, and human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of its carcinogenic risks. However, little evidence exists on the impact of HPV infection on the survival of patients with CC. In the present study, the CC cohort and immune genes were downloaded from the TCGA database and the ImmPort database, respectively. Subsequently, the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis was performed and found that HPV status was involved in multiple immune signaling pathways, which revealed that HPV infection might play critical roles in the immune response. Then seven prognostic immune genes were identified according to HPV status in CC. Using the seven immune genes, we established an immune risk score (IRS) signature and the Kaplan-Meier curve showed that high IRS was significantly correlated with poor prognosis of CC in both the training sets (HR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.66–3.33; AUC = 0.712) and the validation sets (HR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.02–1.85 and AUC = 0.583 in TCGA-HNSCC; HR = 2.58, 95% CI = 1.364–4.893, AUC = 0.676 in GSE44001). A nomogram of IRS combined with clinical features was established, and further analyses demonstrated that the power of the nomogram to predict the prognosis of CC was more reliable than that of a single independent factor. In conclusion, this study provided a more comprehensive understanding of the correlation between HPV and immune mechanisms as well as a novel signature that can effectively predict the prognosis of CC patients.     

Clinical differentiation between acute renal infarction and acute ureteral stone in the emergency department: A single-center retrospective case-control study

BackgroundFew studies have compared renal infarction (RI) and ureteral stone (US), so there is insufficient evidence for emergency clinicians (ECs) to quickly suspect RI during the first assessment. Therefore, we compared the initial clinical presentation and laboratory findings of these diseases in the emergency department (ED) to determine a factor that may indicate RI.MethodsThis single-center retrospective case-control study included 42 patients with acute RI and 210 with US who visited the ED from 2014 to 2020. Medical record data from first ED arrival were investigated, and clinical presentations, blood and urine test results obtained in the ED were compared and analyzed using logistic regression analysis.ResultsECs never suspected the initial diagnosis of RI as RI. The most common initial diagnosis was US (40.5%). Among patients with US, 150 patients (71.4%) were suspected of having US (p < 0.001). Abdominal pain (61.9%) was the most common chief complaint in the RI group, and flank pain (73.8%) was the most common in the US group (p < 0.001). 27 factors showed significant differences between the groups. Among those, age ≥ 70 years (odds ratio [OR]: 311.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0–47,833.1), history of A-fib (OR: 149872.8, 95% CI: 289.4–7.8E+07), fever ≥37.5 °C (OR: 297.3, 95% CI: 3.3–27,117.8), Cl⁻ ≤ 103 mEq/L (OR: 9.0, 95% CI: 1.0–80.1), albumin ≤4.3 g/dL (OR: 26.6, 95% CI: 2.1–330.3), LDH ≥500 IU/L (OR: 17.9, 95% CI: 1.8–182.5), and CRP ≥0.23 mg/dL (OR: 7.5, 95% CI: 1.1–52.3) showed significantly high ORs, whereas urine RBCs (OR: 0, 95% CI: 0–0.02) showed a low OR (p < 0.05). The regression model showed good calibration (chi-square: 6.531, p = 0.588) and good discrimination (area under the curve = 0.9913).ConclusionsWhen differentiating acute RI from US in the ED, age ≥ 70 years, history of A-fib, fever ≥37.5 °C, LDH ≥500 IU/L, Cl⁻ ≤ 103 mEq/L, albumin ≤4.3 g/dL, CRP ≥0.23 mg/dL and negative urine RBC result suggest the possibility of RI.     

Role of thoracic and abdominal tomography in identifying a potential source of infection in patients with acute fever of unknown focus

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between clinical features and the presence of infection on thoracic and abdominal tomography (CT) scans in emergency department (ED) patients with acute febrile illness without apparent source.MethodsPatients aged 18 years and over who presented to ED with acute fever of unknown origin between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020 and underwent CT imaging (thoracic and abdomen) as a diagnostic test were included in the study retrospectively. Acute fever of unknown origin was defined as the absence of a history or physical examination finding that could explain the possible cause of fever, normal values of parameters that would suggest an infection in the urine analysis, and absence of infiltration on chest X-ray. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence and absence of a source of infection on CT. The clinical and demographic data of the patients were evaluated. The effect of clinical factors on the presence of infection in CT scans was determined using the logistic regression analysis.ResultsAmong the 173 patients included in the study, the CT scans were positive for the source of infection in 31.2% (n = 54) and negative in 68.8% (n = 119). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, age ≥ 65 years [odds ratio (OR): 2.72, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.15–4.35, p < 0.001), presence of comorbidity (OR:2.37, 95%CI:1.08–4.14, p = 0.033), and procalcitonin positivity (PCT) (OR: 2.54, 95%CI: 1.29–4.95, p = 0.006) were identified as risk factors for the presence of infection in CT.ConclusionPatient's age, presence of comorbidity and PCT level should be considered when deciding on the use of CT in determining the source of infection in acute febrile patients without clinical clues.     

Hepatitis E virus isolated from rabbits is genetically heterogeneous but with very similar antigenicity to human HEV

Rabbit hepatitis E virus (HEV) in China may represent a novel HEV genotype, although no consensus has been reached. It is unclear whether the ORF2 capsid protein containing the immunodominant epitopes from rabbit HEV differs from those of human HEV. In this study, 661 bile samples collected from domestic rabbits in Jiangsu province, eastern China were amplified by RT‐nPCR using a set of HEV universal ORF2 primers. All 42 (6.4%) positive PCR products were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis using the ORF2 sequences of 557 bp in length showed the Jiangsu isolates were separate from HEV genotypes 1, 2, 3, 4, avian HEV and rat HEV, and clustered together with rabbit HEV sequences. These 42 isolates were divided into five branches including two newly identified in the present study. Comparison with rabbit HEV sequences from China available in GenBank, using a 298 bp ORF2 segment, showed these sequences clustered together into a unique rabbit HEV clade, and were divided into eight sub‐branches with high genetic heterogeneity. In addition, 267 serum samples collected from domestic rabbits, serial serum samples from two rhesus monkeys experimentally infected with HEV genotype 1 or 4, and serial serum samples from two New‐Zealand rabbits infected experimentally with rabbit HEV were tested simultaneously by EIA using recombinant truncated ORF2 capsid proteins derived from rabbit and human HEV. The virtually identical results obtained suggest that rabbit and human HEV ORF2 antigens contain very similar immunodominant epitopes. All these data are helpful to identify the biological characteristics of the newly identified rabbit HEV. J. Med. Virol. 85:627–635, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The association between the disruption of motor imagery and the number of depressive episodes of major depression

Background

Mental rotation performance may be used as an index of mental slowing or bradyphrenia, and may reflect, in particular, speed of motor preparation. Previous studies suggest depressive patients present the correlates of impaired behavioural performance for mental rotation and psychomotor disturbance. The aim of this study is to compare the mental rotation abilities of patients with a first episode of depression, recurrent depression and healthy control subjects with regard to hand tasks.

Methods

We tested 32 first episode of depression, 38 recurrent depression and 36 healthy control subjects by evaluating the performance of depressed patients with regard to the hand mental rotation tasks.

Results

First, the first episode and recurrent depression subjects were significantly slower and made more errors than controls in mentally rotating hands. Second, the first depressive episode but not the recurrent depression displayed the same pattern of response times to stimuli at various orientations relative to control subjects in the hand task. Third, in particular, recurrent depression subjects were significantly slower and made more errors during the mental transformation of hands than first depressive episode relative to control subjects and the differences were significantly larger in female than male subjects in the mental rotation hand task.

Limitations

Patients were on antidepressant medication.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the impaired behavioural performance for mental representation processing are related to the number of previous episodes. Moreover, the recurrent major depressive episodes may contribute to the reinforcement of cognitive impairments and further the development or maintenance of mental representation dysfunctions, especially in female patients. A deficit on mental rotation in the depressive patients may be potential biomarkers for recurrence chronically.     

微波消融联合载阿霉素微泡靶向击破在小鼠H22肝癌治疗中的效果观察

【摘要】 目的 观察微波消融（MWA）联合载阿霉素微泡靶向击破治疗小鼠H22肝癌皮下瘤的效果。 方法 制备空白微泡和载阿霉素微泡,检测其理化特性。流式细胞仪分析不同给药方式下体外细胞内药物浓度。构建BALB/c小鼠H22肝癌皮下瘤模型,将72只荷瘤小鼠随机均分为单纯MWA组（A组）、MWA+阿霉素组（B组）、MWA+空白微泡组（C组）、MWA+载阿霉素微泡组（D组）,其中C、D组微泡经低频超声击破。记录小鼠肿瘤体积变化,构建Kaplan-Meier生存曲线,比较心、肾组织内药物浓度。病理切片检测各组残存活性肿瘤区微血管密度（MVD）和Ki-67表达,并进行统计学分析。结果 体外细胞实验显示,低频超声靶向击破微泡技术能显著提高肿瘤细胞内药物浓度（P=0.011）;体内实验显示,D组抑制肿瘤生长显著优于A组（P=0.008 5）,B组、D组小鼠生存时间均比A组显著延长（P=0.009,P=0.003）,同时D组心、肾组织内药物浓度均显著降低（P=0.012,P=0.045）。D组残存活性肿瘤区MVD与A组相比显著降低（P＜0.000 1）,B、D组肿瘤细胞Ki-67表达均显著降低（P＜0.001）。结论 MWA联合载阿霉素微泡超声靶向击破可提高肝癌细胞内药物浓度,抑制肿瘤增殖和微血管生成,弥补单纯MWA治疗适形性不足,同时降低药物心、肾不良反应。     

糖尿病肾病进展性生物标志物的研究现状与挑战

糖尿病肾病(Diabetic Kidney Disease,DKD)是糖尿病(Diabetes Mellitus,DM)患者发生终末期肾病和死亡的主要原因。对DKD患者进行预后评估有助于降低疾病进展的风险及减少并发症和死亡的发生。本综述主要讨论DKD进展性生物标志物的现状和研究进展,包括常用的白蛋白尿和肾小球滤过率(Glomerular Filtration Rate,GFR),以及新型生物标志物如肿瘤坏死因子受体(Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Receptor,TNFR)和肾小管标志物等。同时,本文还对DKD进展性标志物的开发和应用存在的挑战进行了讨论。     

Decreased cortical thickness of left premotor cortex as a treatment predictor in major depressive disorder

Brain Imaging and Behavior - This study aimed to examine the cerebral cortex characteristics (thickness, surface area, and curvature) in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and explore...     

妊娠期糖尿病患者血清FAP4、25(OH)D水平与新生儿结局的关系

目的探究妊娠期糖尿病(GDM)患者血清脂肪酸结合蛋白质4(FAP4)、25-羟维生素D[25(OH)D]水平与新生儿结局的关系。方法选取2018年3月至2020年4月本院收治的GDM患者102例(观察组),另选取同期在本院生产的健康孕妇83例(对照组),比较两组的血脂相关指标、血糖相关指标、胰岛素抵抗指数(HOMA-IR)、血清FABP4、25(OH)D水平,采用受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线分析血清FABP4、25(OH)D水平预测新生儿结局的应用价值。结果观察组的总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)、空腹血糖(FPG)和餐后2 h血糖(2 h PG)水平均高于对照组,高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)和HOMA-IR水平均低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);两组的胎儿窘迫、胎儿生长受限、新生儿窒息和低体重出生发生率比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),观察组的新生儿不良结局总发生率高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);观察组的血清FABP4水平高于对照组,25(OH)D水平低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);观察组两亚组患者血清FABP4、25(OH)D水平比较,结局不良组患者的血清FABP4水平明显高于结局良好组,25(OH)D水平明显低于结局良好组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);ROC曲线分析结果显示,FABP4、25(OH)D的曲线下面积(AUC)分别为0.660和0.715,对新生儿结局均有一定的预测能力(P<0.05)。结论 GDM患者血清FABP4、25(OH)D水平与新生儿不良结局有关,二者对GDM患者新生儿不良结局具有一定的预测价值。