Peripheral whole blood FOXP3 TSDR methylation: a potential marker in severity assessment of autoimmune diseases and chronic infections

Immune dysregulation is a cardinal feature of autoimmune diseases and chronic microbial infections. In particular, regulatory T cells are downregulated in autoimmune diseases while upregulated in chronic microbial infections. FOXP3 is the master regulator of Treg development. Treg-specific demethylated region (TSDR) is a highly conserved locus on the FOXP3 gene that is fully demethylated in natural Tregs but methylated in effector T cells. In our study, we used high resolution melt-polymerase chain reaction (HRM-PCR) to determine the FOXP3 TSDR methylation status in autoimmune diseases and chronic microbial infections. We found that FOXP3 TSDR to have the highest mean melting temperature (highly methylated) in active SLE patients compared to all the other groups (p?<?0.001). The psoriasis group also had a significantly high mean melting temperature (78.62?±?0.20) when compared with the inactive SLE group (78.49?±?0.29, p?<?0.05) and control group (78.44?±?0.25, p?<?0.01). There was no significant difference in melting temperature between inactive SLE and healthy controls. Disease activity in SLE was directly associated with methylation of the FOXP3 TSDR. On the other hand, patients with chronic microbial infections had significantly lower FOXP3 TSDR mean melting temperature (demethylated) when compared with healthy controls (78.28?±?0.21 vs 78.44?±?0.25, p?<?0.05). Our results suggest that the use of HRM-PCR to detect FOXP3 TSDR methylation status is a reliable and easy method to predict natural regulatory T cell levels in peripheral blood in different disease conditions. Determining FOXP3 TSDR methylation status can be a useful tool in diagnosis, and monitoring the severity of autoimmune diseases and chronic microbial infections.     

Comparison of the practicability of ultrasound and spiral computed tomography in the diagnosis of colon cancer: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Colon cancer is a common malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, a clear diagnosis is particularly important for the treatment of colon cancer. Ultrasound and spiral computed tomography (CT) can both be used in the diagnosis, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages, which could cause confusion in clinical choice. The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the practicability of spiral CT and ultrasound in the diagnosis of colon cancer.Methods:A systematic search was performed by retrieving on English databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library) and Chinese databases (CNKI, Wanfang, Weipu [VIP], CBM). Besides, manually search for Google and Baidu academic of diagnostic experimental study of ultrasound and spiral CT in the diagnosis of Colon Cancer. The retrieval time limit was from the establishment of the database to October 2020. Two researchers independently extracted and evaluated the quality of the data in the included study. A meta-analysis was performed using Meta Disc1.4 and RevMan5.3 software.Results:Sensitivity, specificity, positive Likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio were used to determine the diagnostic efficacy of ultrasonography and helical CT in colorectal cancer.Conclusions:This study will compare the practicability of CT and ultrasound in the diagnosis of colon cancer and provide reliable evidence-based basis for clinicians to choose the appropriate or best evidence-based basis.Ethics and dissemination:The private information from individuals will not be published. This systematic review also will not involve endangering participant rights. Ethical approval is not required. The results may be published in a peer-reviewed journal or disseminated in relevant conferences.OSF Registration number:DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/WAJHQ     

补骨脂素抗增生性瘢痕作用机制研究

目的探讨补骨脂素抗增生性瘢痕的作用机制。方法体外培养成纤维细胞,按随机数字表法分为正常组(培养正常成纤维细胞)、瘢痕组(培养增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞)、TGF-β1组(10 ng/ml TGF-β1处理增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞5 min^12 h)、Smurf2 RNA干扰组[Smad泛素化调节因子2(Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor2,Smurf2)siRNA转染增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞72 h]、补骨脂素组(10μmol/L补骨脂素处理增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞继续培养72 h)、补骨脂素+TGF-β1组(增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞加入补骨脂素培养72 h后加入TGF-β1培养6 h)。采用Western blot法检测Smurf2、α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-actin SMA,α-SMA)蛋白表达;RT-PCR法检测Ⅰ型胶原蛋白mRNA表达;ELISA法检测TGF-β1蛋白分泌。结果与正常组比较,瘢痕组Smurf2蛋白[(0.83±0.08)比(0.38±0.07)]表达增加(P<0.05);与瘢痕组比较,Smurf2 RNA干扰组TGF-β1[(2.2±0.18)比(4.2±0.47)]表达降低(P<0.05);TGF-β1组Smurf2[(0.71±0.06)比(0.42±0.04)]、α-SMA[(1.42±0.12)比(0.91±0.09)]蛋白表达增加(P<0.05),Ⅰ型胶原蛋白mRNA[(0.72±0.09)比(0.41±0.07)]表达增加(P<0.05);补骨脂素组Smurf2[(0.05±0.01)比(0.42±0.04)]、α-SMA[(0.71±0.07)比(0.91±0.09)]蛋白表达降低(P<0.05),Ⅰ型胶原蛋白mRNA表达[(0.12±0.04)比(0.41±0.07)]降低(P<0.05)。结论补骨脂素可能通过TGF-β1/Smurf2信号通路抑制α-SMA蛋白表达,从而降低Ⅰ型胶原蛋白表达,起到抑制瘢痕形成的作用。     

食管癌根治性放疗剂量研究进展

同步放化疗是不可手术局部晚期食管癌的标准治疗模式,国际推荐根治性放疗剂量为50.0~50.4Gy,但中国食管癌与西方国家在病理类型、生物学行为等方面大有不同,行根治性放疗剂量仍倾向于60Gy。增加放疗剂量能否带来生存获益成为临床亟待解决的问题。有研究认为高剂量放疗可提高局控率、改善生存,但也有研究认为提高剂量未能带来生存获益,且可增加不良反应事件发生率。因此,本文就食管癌根治性放疗剂量对预后的影响进行探讨,并通过放化疗后疗效评估对放疗剂量做出适当调整,以期达个体化放疗。     

医院离退休干部参与社会治理现状

通过文献研究、问卷调查、专家访谈、现地调研等方法,分析医院离退休干部参与社会治理的现状及影响因素,探讨社区对离退休干部参与社会治理的需求,提出通过党建引领医院离退休干部参与社会治理的“1235”模式,并给出具体的操作路径,以期为推动医院离退休干部积极参与社会治理提供参考。     

Host–microbiome interactions: the aryl hydrocarbon receptor as a critical node in tryptophan metabolites to brain signaling

ABSTRACT

Tryptophan (Trp) is not only a nutrient enhancer but also has systemic effects. Trp metabolites signaling through the well-known aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) constitute the interface of microbiome-gut-brain axis. However, the pathway through which Trp metabolites affect central nervous system (CNS) function have not been fully elucidated. AhR participates in a broad variety of physiological and pathological processes that also highly relevant to intestinal homeostasis and CNS diseases. Via the AhR-dependent mechanism, Trp metabolites connect bidirectional signaling between the gut microbiome and the brain, mediated via immune, metabolic, and neural (vagal) signaling mechanisms, with downstream effects on behavior and CNS function. These findings shed light on the complex Trp regulation of microbiome-gut-brain axis and add another facet to our understanding that dietary Trp is expected to be a promising noninvasive approach for alleviating systemic diseases.     

益生菌联合肠内营养对急性胰腺炎患者肠道菌群及外周血miR-155的影响

目的 探讨益生菌联合肠内营养对急性胰腺炎患者肠道菌群及外周血miR-155的影响。 方法 选取2016年6月至2018年12月河北医科大学第二医院消化内科收治的92例急性胰腺炎患者作为研究对象，根据随机数字表法分为观察组（n=46）和对照组（n=46），对照组在常规治疗基础上给予肠内营养治疗，观察组在对照组基础上给予双歧杆菌乳杆菌三联活菌片，观察两组患者治疗前后肠道菌群、炎性介质及血清miR-155变化，比较两组患者治疗后胃肠道功能恢复情况。结果 治疗后，观察组双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌增加数量，肠球菌、大肠埃希菌减少数量，血清CRP、IL-6、IL-17、TNF-α、miR-155降低水平均显著高于对照组（P<0.05）；观察组患者胃肠生活质量量表（GIQLI）评分高于对照组，腹胀消失时间、腹痛消失时间、肠鸣音恢复时间、血清淀粉酶恢复正常时间均少于对照组（P<0.05）。结论 益生菌联合肠内营养治疗急性胰腺炎可调节肠道菌群平衡，降低血清miR-155水平，缓解炎性反应，促进肠道功能恢复。     

Research progress on accelerator-based stereotactic body radiotherapy

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has become an important radiotherapy technology. In recent years, with the continuous improvement of the mechanical properties of the linear accelerator (LINAC), LINAC-based SBRT is gradually emerging. In this article, the history, technological progress, radiation physics, clinical application of LINAC-based SBRT were elaborated, aiming to promote the development of LINAC-based SBRT.