Ethnic,geographic, and seasonal differences of vitamin D status among adults in south-west China

BackgroundThere are limited data on vitamin D status of Sichuan province, and no investigation has been carried out on the correlations of 25(OH)D and BTMs between healthy Hans and Tibetans of Sichuan province. This study aimed to examine 25(OH)D levels around Sichuan province and to assess differences by ethnicity, age, gender, sunlight exposure, geographic location, and seasons.MethodsBlood samples from 2317 healthy adults aged of 18 to 75 years and of Han and Tibetan ethnicities were collected in six regions and during four seasons. Serum 25(OH)D₂ and 25(OH)D₃ levels were measured by LC‐MS/MS method. Serum total P1NP and β‐CTX were measured by immunoassay.ResultsParticipants aged 18‐40 years showed significantly lower 25(OH)D levels than participants aged 41‐75 years old (P < .0001). The median serum 25(OH)D level for males was significantly higher than that of females (P < .0001). Serum 25(OH)D levels among four seasons and different districts varied significantly (P < .0001). In addition, the 25(OH)D level of Tibetans was significantly lower than that of Hans, while the serum total P1NP and β‐CTX levels of Tibetans were significantly higher than those of Hans (P < .0001).ConclusionAdult population was more common to have vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency among Tibetans, females, north regions and in spring and winter.     

Gender differences in the microbial spectrum and antibiotic sensitivity of uropathogens isolated from patients with urinary stones

PurposeThe characteristics and resistance patterns of urine bacteriology urolithiasis patients between male and female have not been extensively studied. This study aims to investigate the gender differences in microbial spectrum and antibiotic susceptibility of uropathogens isolated from urolithiasis patients and provide insights for appropriate antimicrobial therapies.Materials and MethodsWe retrospectively collected clinical microbiology data from urine culture in urolithiasis patients between March 2014 and December 2018 in Xiangya Hospital. Then the patients were divided into male and female groups. The microbial spectrum and frequency of susceptibility to antibiotics were compared.ResultsA total of 359 uropathogen isolates were collected from 335 patients, including 144 males (43.0%) and 191 females (57.0%). E. coli dominated in both groups, indicating higher frequency in females (53.2%) than in males (26.6%, p < 0.001), followed by E. faecalis, with higher frequency in males (15.6%) than in females (2.9%, p < 0.001). Major Gram‐negative (E. coli and K. pneumoniae) bacteria showed high sensitivity to cefoperazone/sulbactam, cefotetan, piperacillin/ tazobactam, and amikacin. In contrast, the resistance level was high to penicillin, tetracycline, and vancomycin in both groups. Gram‐positive (E. faecalis and E. faecium) isolates demonstrated high sensitivity to gentamicin and vancomycin in both groups. Furthermore, uropathogens isolated from female urolithiasis patients were more susceptible to antimicrobials than males.ConclusionsUropathogen microbial spectrum in female urolithiasis patients is different from males. High susceptibility antibiotics should be used empirically according to gender to avoid multidrug‐resistant bacteria increase.     

Hsa_circ_0054633 association of C peptide is related to IL‐17 and TNF‐α in patients with diabetes mellitus receiving insulin treatment

BackgroundChronic inflammation damaged the islet and resulted in dysfunction of T2D. Circular RNA is stable and better for biomarker in many diseases. Here, we aimed to identify potential circular RNA hsa_circ_0054633 that can be a biomarkers for the effects of insulin therapy in T2D.MethodsIn this retrospective case‐control study, patients were from Li Huili Hospital, Ningbo, China, from February 10, 2019, to August 15, 2019. We included 47 healthy adults, 46 new‐onset T2D with insulin resistance, and 51 patients with insulin therapy. Serum inflammation factors were tested by ELISA assays. We selected hsa_circ_0054633 as a candidate biomarker and measured its concentration in serum by qRT‐PCR. The Pearson correlation test was used to evaluate the correlation between this circRNA and clinical variables.ResultsClinical data indicated that serum C peptide was increased in T2D treatment with insulin. Serum hsa_circ_0054633 was decreased in insulin treatment group. Hsa_circ_0054633 was negative correlated with C peptide (r = −0.2841, p = 0.0433,). IL‐1 and IL‐6, IL‐17, and TNF‐α were higher in T2D patients and decreased after insulin treatment, only IL‐17 and TNF‐α showed a positive correlation to hsa_circ_0054633 (r = 0.4825, p < 0.0001, and r = 0.6190, p < 0.0001). The area under ROC curve was 0.7432, 0.5839, and 0.7573 for Hsa_circ_0054633, C peptide, and their combination.ConclusionHsa_circ_0054633 level was lower in T2D with insulin treatment than untreated and was a negative correlation with C peptide, and positively correlated with IL‐17 and TNF‐α, suggesting that hsa_circ_0054633 may be a potential early indicator of insulin treatment effect to improve inflammation condition.     

Diagnosis value of miR‐181, miR‐652, and CA72‐4 for gastric cancer

PurposeTo find a useful disease marker for early diagnosis of gastric cancer, we tried to explore the expression of serum miR‐181, miR‐652, and carbohydrate antigen 72‐4 (CA72‐4).Patients and MethodsAccording to clinical pathologic stages, 112 patients with gastric cancer were divided into early gastric cancer group (n = 60) and advanced gastric cancer group (n = 52), stage I‐II (n = 65), and stage III‐IV (n = 47). Another 50 cases of gastric benign lesions and 40 healthy controls were also selected. Real‐time quantitative PCR together with chemiluminescence were applied to detect expression levels. ROC curve was applied to judge their diagnostic efficiency. Pearson''s correlation analysis was put into use to investigate the relevance of three indicators.ResultsCompared with benign lesions group and control group, significantly higher expression levels were found in patients of gastric cancer (all p < 0.001). Similarly, compared with early gastric cancer group, significantly higher expression levels were found in advanced gastric cancer group (all p < 0.001). The same result was also found in stage III‐IV (all p < 0.001). The best cutoff values were 0.93, 2.38, and 16.94 U/ml, respectively. The area under the curve (0.917, 95%CI: 0.856–0.975) of the three combined diagnosis of early gastric cancer was the largest, and its sensitivity and specificity were 92.5% and 86.8%. And miR‐181 and miR‐652 were positively correlated with CA72‐4 (r = 0.772, p < 0.001, r = 0.853, p < 0.001).ConclusionSerum miR‐181, miR‐652, and CA72‐4 are closely linked to the occurrence and development of gastric cancer. Combination of three indicators has diagnostic value for early gastric cancer.     

JNK pathway‐associated phosphatase in acute ischemic stroke patients: Its correlation with T helper cells,clinical properties,and recurrence risk

ObjectiveJKAP modifies T‐cell immune response and inflammation, also involves in cardia‐cerebrovascular disease etiology. This study intended to explore JKAP''s relation with T‐helper 1 (Th1), T‐helper 17 (Th17) cell levels, clinical properties, and recurrence‐free survival (RFS) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients.MethodsA total of 155 AIS patients were analyzed. Serum JKAP, interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ), and interleukin‐17A (IL‐17A) were detected by ELISA; then blood Th1 and Th17 cells were quantified by flow cytometry. Besides, 30 healthy subjects were enrolled as controls to detect JKAP, Th1, and Th17 cells.ResultsJKAP level was lower (p < 0.001), Th1 cells were not differed (p = 0.068), but Th17 cells were elevated in AIS patients versus controls (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, JKAP was negatively correlated with Th1 cells (p = 0.038), Th17 cells (P<0.001), IFN‐γ (p = 0.002), and IL‐17A (p < 0.001) in AIS patients. JKAP was negatively associated with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (p < 0.001), but Th17 cells (p = 0.001), IFN‐γ (p = 0.035), and IL‐17A (p = 0.008) levels were positively associated with NIHSS score. Additionally, accumulating RFS was numerically longer in patients with JKAP Quantile (Q) 4 than patients with JKAP Q1–Q3 (p = 0.068), and numerically better in patients with JKAP Q3–Q4 than patients with JKAP Q1–Q2 (p = 0.069), but without statistical significance.ConclusionJKAP correlates with lower Th1 and Th17 cell percentages as well as milder disease severity.     

Clinical value of YKL‐40 in patients with polymyositis/dermatomyositis: A cross‐sectional study and a systematic review

IntroductionWe performed a cross‐sectional study to investigate the clinical usefulness of YKL‐40 in patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and conducted a systematic review to summarize the clinical value of YKL‐40 in patients with polymyositis (PM)/DM.Materials and methodsA cross‐sectional study and a systematic review were performed to study the clinical value of YKL‐40 in patients with PM/DM. Serum YKL‐40 level was detected using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and its association with clinical and laboratory parameters was analyzed. In the systematic review, electronic databases of OVID Embase, OVID Medline, and web of science were searched to collect studies that reported clinical use of YKL‐40 in patients with PM/DM.ResultsIn the cross‐sectional study, serum YKL‐40 level was higher in patients with DM than in healthy controls (median [interquartile range]: 84.09 [52.72–176.4] ng/ml versus 27.37 [12.30–53.58] ng/ml, p < 0.0001). Serum levels of YKL‐40 were associated with the course of DM (r = −0.469, p < 0.001), CRP (r = 0.303, p = 0.043), CK (r = 0.263, p = 0.037), and global disease activity (r = 0.628, p < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve was 0.835 (95% confidence interval 0.751–0.920). In the systematic review, a total of four studies were included with moderate to high quality. Serum level of YKL‐40 has the possibility for diagnosing PM/DM, identifying PM/DM patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) or rapid progress ILD, and predicting death.ConclusionSerum YKL‐40 level is a possible useful biomarker for PM/DM diagnosis and may be used to predict prognosis.     

Golgi scaffold protein PAQR3 as a candidate suppressor of gastric cardia adenocarcinoma via regulating TGF‐β/Smad pathway

ObjectivesTo investigate the function of PAQR3 in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) and understand the possible mechanism of PAQR3 in regulating epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT).MethodsWe detected PAQR3 protein in 146 GCA tissues and paired normal adjacent tissues (PNTs) specimens using immunohistochemical analysis, and explored its clinical significance. The expression levels of PAQR3 protein in 20 GCA tissues, their paired PNTs, HGC27, SGC7901, and GES‐1 cells were analyzed by Western blot. Wild‐type PAQR3 was overexpressed in HGC27 cells. The effects of PAQR3 overexpression on the function of HGC27 cells and its underlying mechanisms were then analyzed through a series of cell and molecular biology experiments.ResultsPAQR3 was significantly down‐regulated in GCA tissues when compared with paired PNTs (p < 0.0001). The expression level of PAQR3 in GCA tissues was significantly negatively correlated with Helicobacter pylori infection (p = 0.000), venous invasion (p = 0.000), invasion depth (p = 0.000), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.022), tumor stage (p = 0.000), and patient survival (p = 0.009). Downregulation of PAQR3 was highly correlated with increased EMT signature and activated TGF‐β/Smad pathway in GCA tissues. Overexpression of PAQR3 in HGC27 cells negatively regulates its cellular functions, such as cell proliferation and migration, and suppresses EMT. Mechanistically, overexpression of PAQR3 significantly down‐regulates the protein expression levels of TGF‐1, p‐Smad2, and p‐Smad3 in HGC27 cells.ConclusionPAQR3 was significantly down‐regulated in GCA tissues, HGC27, and SGC7901 cells. PAQR3 significantly inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HGC27 cells. Mechanistically, PAQR3 can inhibit the EMT process in HGC27 cells by regulating TGF‐β/Smad signaling pathway.     

Prognostic value of BRAF/MIR‐17 signature and B‐Raf protein expression in patients with colorectal cancer: A pilot study

BackgroundDespite the recent improvement in colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment, it still has a poor prognosis with a low survival rate. Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms have proved to play a substantial role in CRC tumorigenesis and progression. According to Gene Ontology and TargetScan analyses, the B‐Raf proto‐oncogene (BRAF) gene is one of the microRNA‐17 (miR‐17) targets. We aimed to explore the prognostic value of B‐Raf protein and BRAF/microRNA‐17 (MIR‐17) gene expression signature in CRC archived samples.MethodsB‐Raf protein expression was identified by immunohistochemistry, while gene expression studies were quantified by real‐time qPCR in 53 paired archived CRC specimens.ResultsThe BRAF showed higher expressions in CRC specimens relative to non‐cancer tissues (p = 0.006). MIR17 expression was inversely and significantly correlated with both B‐Raf protein (r = −0.79, p < 0.001) and gene expression (r = −0.35, p = 0.010) and showed a significant direct correlation with a high rate of relapse (p = 0.020). BRAF/miR‐17 expression in CRC was associated inversely with tumor size, high grade of colonic carcinoma, lymph node metastasis, and carcinoma subtype. Spearman correlation and Kaplan‐Meier survival curve analyses revealed that disease‐free survival and overall survival were inversely and significantly correlated with positive B‐Raf protein expression (r = −0.31 and −0.35, p = 0.023 and 0.011, respectively) and directly correlated with log BRAF/MIR17 ratio (r = 0.50 and 0.41, p < 0.001 and = 0.003, respectively). Cox hazard regression analysis revealed the BRAF/MIR17 ratio could predict both types of patients'' survival, among other variables.Conclusion BRAF/MIR17 ratio could have prognostic utility in patients with CRC. Further larger‐scale studies are warranted to confirm this utility.     

Identification and validation of PGLS as a metabolic target for early screening and prognostic monitoring of gastric cancer

BackgroundGastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer‐related death in the world. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the expression and prognostic significance of 6‐phosphogluconolactonase (PGLS) in gastric cancer.MethodsThe protein extracted from a panel of four pairs of gastric cancer tissues and adjacent tissues, labeled with iTRAQ (8‐plex) reagents, and followed by LC‐ESI‐MS/MS. The expressions of proteins were further validated by immunohistochemistry analysis. The expression levels of mRNA were analyzed and validated in the Oncomine database. The correlations of PGLS with prognostic outcomes were evaluated with Kaplan‐Meier plotter database.ResultsThe present study found that PGLS was significantly up‐regulated in gastric cancer by using iTRAQ‐based proteomics and immunohistochemistry analysis. The sensitivity of PGLS in gastric cancer was 72.9%. The high expression of PGLS was significantly correlated with TNM staging in gastric cancer (p = 0.02). The overexpression of PGLS predicts worse overall survival (OS) and post‐progression survival (PPS) for gastric cancer (OS, HR = 1.48, p = 2.1e‐05; PPS, HR = 1.35, p = 0.015). Specifically, the high PGLS expression predicts poor OS, PPS in male gastric cancer patients, in patients with lymph node metastasis and in patients with Her‐2 (‐).ConclusionsThese findings suggested that PGLS was aberrantly expressed in gastric cancer and predicts poor overall survival, post‐progression survival for gastric cancer patients. The present study collectively supported that PGLS is an important target for early determining and follow‐up monitoring for gastric cancer.     

Validation of loop‐mediated isothermal amplification to detect Helicobacter pylori and 23S rRNA mutations: A prospective,observational clinical cohort study

BackgroundIdentifying point mutations in 23S rRNA closely associated with clarithromycin resistance can increase the eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori). In this study, we verified the sensitivity, specificity, and reliability of a newly developed loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay kit to detect H pylori and 2143G and 2182C mutations in 23S rRNA.MethodsLAMP assay to detect H pylori and a mutant strain with 2143G and 2182C was conducted with the Isopollo^® H pylori & ClaR kit. A prospective, open‐label, observational study was conducted to validate the reliability of the LAMP assay in both a development cohort and a bedside direct LAMP cohort.ResultsThe LAMP assay had good sensitivity, as it could detect as few as 10–100 copies of H pylori and mutants with 2143G and 2182C in 23S rRNA, and good specificity, as it did not react with other bacterial species. In the development cohort with 622 participants, the LAMP assay showed good agreement with RUT for detecting H pylori (kappa value 0.923, P < .001) and had exactly the same results as sequencing analysis for 2143G and 2182C point mutations. The direct LAMP cohort including 93 patients had 97.7% (42/43) of concordance in detecting 2143G and 2182C point mutations compared to the PCR‐based sequencing analysis.ConclusionThe Isopollo^® H pylori & ClaR LAMP assay was a valid method for detecting H pylori and for 2143G and 2182C point mutations in 23S rRNA in a clinical setting.     

Association of end‐stage renal disease with HLA phenotypes and panel reactive antibodies in patients awaiting renal transplantation in Hunan Province

ObjectivesTo explore the immune‐related genetic susceptibility of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and their correlation with panel reactive antibody (PRA) generation during end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) progression.Materials and methodsData of the expression patterns of HLA‐A, ‐B, and ‐DR alleles and PRAs of 347 ESRD patients awaiting renal transplantation in Hunan Province from 2015 to 2019 were retrospectively studied. The polymerase chain reaction with sequence‐specific primers was used for HLA genotyping and the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay for PRA detection. SPSS 21.0 software was used for all allele frequency and statistical analyses.ResultsThirteen HLA‐A, 25 HLA‐B, and 13 HLA‐DR alleles were expressed. The allele frequencies of HLA‐A2, ‐B48, ‐B52, and ‐B55 were significantly higher in the case group than in the control group (p < 0.05), whereas that of HLA‐B60 was significantly higher in the control group (p < 0.05). The frequency of HLA alleles in the PRA‐positive group was significantly higher in females than in males (p < 0.05). The allele frequencies of HLA‐A2, ‐B38, and ‐B46 were significantly higher in the PRA‐positive group than in the PRA‐negative one (p < 0.05), whereas that of HLA‐60 was significantly higher in the PRA‐negative group (p < 0.05).ConclusionHLA‐A2, ‐B48, ‐B52, and ‐B55 may be the ESRD susceptibility alleles in Han Chinese patients in Hunan Province, whereas HLA‐B60 may be the protective allele. Patients carrying HLA‐A2, ‐B38, and ‐B46 are more likely to develop PRA positivity, whereas the opposite is true for those with HLA‐B60.     

The abnormal level and prognostic potency of multiple inflammatory cytokines in PCI‐treated STEMI patients

ObjectiveInflammatory cytokines modulate atherogenesis and plaque rupture to involve in ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) progression. The present study determined eight inflammatory cytokine levels in 212 percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)‐treated STEMI patients, aiming to comprehensively investigate their potency in estimating major adverse cardiac event (MACE) risk.MethodsSerum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐8, IL‐10, IL‐17A, vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1), and intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1) of 212 PCI‐treated STEMI patients and 30 angina pectoris patients were determined using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsTNF‐α (52.5 (43.9–62.6) pg/ml versus 46.4 (39.0–59.1) pg/ml, p = 0.031), IL‐8 (61.6 (49.6–81.7) pg/ml versus 46.7 (32.5–63.1) pg/ml, p = 0.001), IL‐17A (57.4 (45.7–77.3) pg/ml versus 43.2 (34.2–64.6) pg/ml, p = 0.001), and VCAM‐1 (593.6 (503.4–811.4) ng/ml versus 493.8 (390.3–653.7) ng/ml, p = 0.004) levels were elevated in STEMI patients compared to angina pectoris patients, while IL‐1β (p = 0.069), IL‐6 (p = 0.110), IL‐10 (p = 0.052), and ICAM‐1 (p = 0.069) were of no difference. Moreover, both IL‐17A high (vs. low) (p = 0.026) and VCAM‐1 high (vs. low) (p = 0.012) were linked with increased cumulative MACE rate. The multivariable Cox''s analysis exhibited that IL‐17A high (vs. low) (p = 0.034) and VCAM‐1 high (vs. low) (p = 0.014) were independently associated with increased cumulative MACE risk. Additionally, age, diabetes mellitus, C‐reactive protein, multivessel disease, stent length, and stent type were also independent factors for cumulative MACE risk.ConclusionIL‐17A and VCAM‐1 high level independently correlate with elevated MACE risk in STEMI patients, implying its potency in identifying patients with poor prognoses.     

Establishment of age‐ and sex‐specific reference intervals for serum liver function tests in pediatric population aged 1–<18 years: A prospective study

BackgroundThe diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of pediatric diseases rely on the accurate establishment of the reference interval (RI). This study aimed to establish pediatric RIs for liver function tests and evaluated the correlation of the analytes.MethodsPediatric population (aged 1–<18 years) was prospectively recruited in Jilin Province, China. Analytes detected by Ortho VITORS 5600 automatic biochemical analyzer. All strata were divided using the regression tree and Harris and Boyd''s method. The dynamic changes of RI were evaluated by the lambda‐mu‐sigma method.ResultsReference individuals were comprised of 6,322 children and adolescents. Age and sex differences were present in all analytes except serum total protein. The serum albumin, total protein, γ‐glutamyl transferase, total bilirubin, and unconjugated bilirubin levels increased with age while serum aspartate aminotransferase was opposite. The serum alanine aminotransferase level reached a trough at the age of 5 and later steadily in males but slowly decreased in females. The serum alkaline phosphatase level dropped rapidly after reaching a peak at 9 years old in females and 12 years old in males. RIs were divided into 11 partitions at most and 5 partitions at least. The strongest correlation between analytes was total bilirubin and unconjugated bilirubin (r = 0.788), followed by total bilirubin and albumin (r = 0.511).ConclusionsAnalytes show unique dynamic changes in pediatric population. The correlations among liver function tests can inform future studies of particular variables. Age‐ and sex‐special pediatric RIs should be established to help an accurate diagnosis of disease.     

Role of IL‐17 in atopy—A systematic review

Purpose of ReviewAtopy is defined as the genetic predisposition to react with type I allergic diseases such as food‐, skin‐, and respiratory allergies. Distinct molecular mechanisms have been described, including the known Th2 driven immune response. IL‐17A (IL‐17) is mainly produced by Th17 cells and belongs to the IL‐17 family of cytokines, IL‐17A to F. While IL‐17 plays a major role in inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, more data was published in recent years elucidating the role of IL‐17 in allergic diseases. The present study aimed to elaborate specifically the role of IL‐17 in atopy.MethodsA systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, regarding IL‐17 and atopy/allergic diseases.ResultsIn total, 31 novel publications could be identified (food allergy n = 3, allergic asthma n = 7, allergic rhinitis [AR] n = 10, atopic dermatitis [AD] n = 11). In all allergic diseases, the IL‐17 pathway has been investigated. Serum IL‐17 was elevated in all allergic diseases. In AR, serum and nasal IL‐17 levels correlated with the severity of the disease. In food allergies, serum IL‐17E was also elevated in children. In AD, there is a trend for higher IL‐17 values in the serum and skin specimen, while it is more expressed in acute lesions. In allergic asthma, serum IL‐17 levels were increased. In two studies, higher serum IL‐17 levels were found in severe persistent asthmatic patients than in intermittent asthmatics or healthy controls. Only one therapeutic clinical study exists on allergic diseases (asthma patients) using a monoclonal antibody against the IL‐17 receptor A. No clinical efficacy was found in the total study population, except for a subgroup of patients with (post‐bronchodilator) high reversibility.SummaryThe role of IL 17 in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases is evident, but the involvement of the Th17 cytokine in the pathophysiological pathway is not conclusively defined. IL‐17 is most likely relevant and will be a clinical target in subgroups of patients. The current data indicates that IL‐17 is elevated more often in acute and severe forms of allergic diseases.     

A preliminary study about neurofilament light chain and tau protein levels in psoriasis: Correlation with disease severity

BackgroundStudies investigating cognitive dysfunction in psoriatic patients remain inconclusive.ObjectiveTo investigate the risk of cognitive decline in plaque‐type psoriasis patients.MethodsSerum neurofilament light chain (NFL) and tau protein concentrations in 45 patients with plaque‐type psoriasis and forty‐five healthy controls were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).ResultsMean homeostasis model assessment (HOMA‐IR) values (6.82 vs 3.25) and serum levels of insulin (28.19 vs 15.71), NFL (5.74 vs 1.98), and tau (348.17 vs 207.30) in patients with psoriasis were found to be significantly higher than those of in healthy controls. There was a significant positive correlation between NFL and tau (r = .257, P = .015). There was significant correlation between NFL, tau and PASI (r = .310, P = .040) and (r = .383, P = .010), respectively. Significant correlations between NFL and insulin, TC, HDL‐C, TG, VLDL‐C, and BMI were found. NFL (9.38 vs 3.08) and tau (439.28 vs 281.58) concentrations and PASI values (23.94 vs 14.18) in patients with disease onset before 40 years were significantly higher than that of the patients with disease onset after 40 years. C‐reactive protein (CRP) was significantly correlated with BMI (r = .449, P < .001), LDL‐C (r = .240, P = .026), TG (r = .244, P = .024), and VLDL‐C (r = .241, P = .025) in patients with psoriasis.ConclusionsIncreased serum NFL and tau protein levels and the presence of positive correlations between NFL, tau protein and PASI score show cognitive decline risk may be higher in moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis.     

Low serum interleukin‐38 levels in patients with Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

BackgroundAutoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) mainly includes Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto''s thyroiditis (HT), which is caused by individual genetics, autoimmune dysfunction, and a variety of external environmental factors. Interleukin (IL)‐38 is involved in a wide range of autoimmune diseases, but little is known about IL‐38 expression in AITD.MethodsFifty patients with GD, 50 with HT, and 50 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in this study. Basic information of the participants was obtained through a physical examination. Immunological data were obtained by an automatic chemiluminescence immunoanalyzer. C‐reactive protein (CRP) concentrations and the white blood cell count were measured. Serum IL‐38 levels were determined by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsSerum IL‐38 levels were significantly lower in the GD and HT groups than in the HC group (both p < 0.01). Serum CRP concentrations were significantly lower in the HT group than in the HC group (p < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve was 0.7736 (p < 0.01) for IL‐38 and 0.7972 (p < 0.01) for IL‐38 combined with CRP in the GD group. In the HT group, the area under the curve was 0.7276 (p < 0.01) for IL‐38 and 0.7300 for IL‐38 combined with CRP (p < 0.01).ConclusionsThe results suggest that serum IL‐38 level is a potential new diagnostic biomarker in patients with GD and HT.     

Analysis of age-associated alternation of SCSA sperm DNA fragmentation index and semen characteristics of 1790 subfertile males in China

BackgroundIt has been identified that incidence of infertility was about 20% among couples worldwide, about 50% caused by male elements. However, conventional semen laboratory detections could not handle clinical needs, which led to more comprehensive parameters for male fertility evaluation. We aimed to investigate the clinical relationship of age‐linked changes and the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), and routine semen characteristics among subfertile Chinese males.Methods1790 clinical semen specimens were enrolled from February 2018 to October 2019. Clinical and laboratory data including routine semen analyses, sperm DFI, and sperm morphology were collected and showed age‐related alterations in semen parameters.ResultsOur results, displayed an increase in sperm DFI with age, were demonstrated in three age‐groups, particularly within the ≥35‐year cohort. There were positive and inverse correlations of sperm DFI with abnormal semen characteristics and with normal morphological parameters, respectively. Furthermore, age, sperm morphology, concentration, and progressive motility, immotile sperm percentage, semen volume, sperm survival, and high acridine orange DNA stainability (indicating immature forms) were found to be independent risk factors affecting sperm DNA integrity. Likewise, men aged ≥35 years had a higher sperm DFI than did normozoospermic men in the overall cohort. Routine semen characteristics, sperm DFI, and morphology tended to alter with age.ConclusionsThe SCSA sperm DFI showed the greatest clinical application in the assessment of male fertility in this study, which should help infertility clinics decide on reproductive options for the treatment of older infertile couples.     

Clinical value of serum JKAP in acute ischemic stroke patients

BackgroundJun N‐terminal kinase pathway‐associated phosphatase (JKAP) regulates neuronal function, T helper (Th) 1/2/17 cell differentiation, and inflammatory process, but its clinical role in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients remains unclear. Hence, this study intended to evaluate JKAP level and its relationship with disease severity, Th1, 2, 17 secreted cytokines, adhesion molecules, and prognosis of AIS patients.MethodsSerum JKAP of 122 AIS patients and 50 controls was detected by ELISA. For AIS patients only, Th1, 2, 17 secreted cytokines IFN‐γ, IL‐4, IL‐17; TNF‐α, ICAM‐1, and VCAM‐1 were also detected by ELISA.ResultsJKAP was decreased in AIS patients compared with controls (46.350 (interquartile range (IQR): 34.250–59.875) pg/ml vs. 84.500 (IQR: 63.175–113.275) pg/ml, p < 0.001), which could distinguish AIS patients from controls (area under curve (AUC): 0.810, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.732–0.888). In AIS patients, JKAP negatively linked with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (r_s  = −0.342, p < 0.001); besides, it was positively related to IL‐4 (r_s  = 0.213, p = 0.018) and negatively associated with IL‐17 (r_s  = −0.270, p = 0.003) but not related to IFN‐γ (r_s  = −0.146, p = 0.109). Furthermore, elevated JKAP associated with declined TNF‐α (r_s  = −0.219, p = 0.015) and ICAM‐1 (r_s  = −0.235, p = 0.009) but not related to VCAM‐1 (r_s  = −0.156, p = 0.085). Besides, declined JKAP was linked with 2‐year recurrence (p = 0.027) and 3‐year recurrence (p = 0.010) in AIS patients; while JKAP was not related to 1‐year recurrence or death risk (both p > 0.050).ConclusionJKAP may sever as a candidate prognostic biomarker in AIS patients, indicating its potency for AIS management.