Correlation Between Anesthesia Methods and Adverse Short-Term Postoperative Outcomes Depending on Frailty: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate how the type of anesthesia used during major orthopedic surgery may impact adverse short-term postoperative outcomes depending on frailty. Methods: To conduct this investigation, we recruited individuals aged 65 years and older who underwent major orthopedic surgery between March 2022 and April 2023 at a single institution. We utilized the FRAIL scale to evaluate frailty. The primary focus was on occurrences of death or the inability to walk 60 days after the surgery. Secondary measures included death within 60 days; inability to walk without human assistance at 60 days; death or the inability to walk without human assistance at 30 days after surgery, the first time out of bed after surgery, postoperative blood transfusion, length of hospital stay, hospital costs, and the occurrence of surgical complications such as dislocation, periprosthetic fracture, infection, reoperation, wound complications/hematoma. Results: In a study of 387 old adult patients who had undergone major orthopedic surgery, 41.3% were found to be in a frail state. Among these patients, 262 had general anesthesia and 125 had neuraxial anesthesia. Multifactorial logistic regression analyses showed that anesthesia type was not linked to complications. Instead, frailty (OR 4.04, 95% CI 1.04 to 8.57, P< 0.001), age (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.00-1.10, P= 0.017), and aCCI scores, age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index, (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.66, P= 0.002) were identified as independent risk factors for death or new walking disorders in these patients 60 days after surgery. After adjusting for frailty, anesthesia methods was not associated with the development of death or new walking disorders in these patients (P > 0.05). Conclusion: In different frail populations, neuraxial anesthesia is likely to be comparable to general anesthesia in terms of the incidence of short-term postoperative adverse outcomes.

Resveratrol drives ferroptosis of acute myeloid leukemia cells through Hsa-miR-335-5p/NFS1/ GPX4 pathway in a ROS-dependent manner.

To explore the potential target to induce ferroptosis for treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as well as its mechanism and latent drugs. Using the keyword "acute myelogenous leukemia", the related dataset in TCGA and GEO were used for searching differentially expressed genes. After the filtrate by ROC curve, AUC values, and survival analysis, RT-qPCR as well as Western-blot analysis were performed to verify the high expression level of NFS1 in AML-193 and OCI-AML-3 cells. After CCK-8 detection with and without various cell death inhibitors, ferroptosis were further detected by the expression level of GPX4. After taking the intersection in Starbase and TargetScan, the upstream regulatory miRNA of NFS1 was found. Then the relation of hsa-miR-335-5p, NFS1, as well as GPX4, was ascertained by knockdown and overexpression study in AML-193 and OCI-AML-3 cells. In addition, cellular ROS was detected by DCFH-DA. Finally, resveratrol was used to intensify ferroptosis of AML-193 and OCI-AML-3 cells. NFS1 was highly expressed in AML cells, positively associated with AML-related mortality, and can be used to diagnose AML. Knockout of NFS1 facilitated ROS accumulation and ferroptosis-associated labile iron pool increase. si-NFS1 can inhibit the expression level of GPX4, facilitate ROS accumulation and induce ferroptosis-associated labile iron pool increase. Besides, overexpressed GPX4 can lead to down-regulated cell death after si-NFS1 treatment. Hsa-miR-335-5p was found as the upstream regulator of NFS1. The expression of NFS1 can be up-regulated by sh-hsa-miR-335-5p transfection and can be inhibited by hsa-miR-335-5p transfection. Resveratrol was found can increase the expression level of hsa-miR-335-5p and decrease the expression of NFS1 and GPX4. Resveratrol can intensify ferroptosis of AML cells via Hsa-miR-335-5p/NFS1/ GPX4 pathway through a ROS-dependent manner.

A2AR limits IL-15-induced generation of CD39+ NK cells with high cytotoxicity.

CD39-mediated inhibition of natural killer (NK) cell activity has been demonstrated, but the characteristics of CD39+ NK cells in humans are not known. We investigated the characteristics of human circulating CD39+ NK cells. In healthy donors, the proportion of circulating CD39+ NK cells in total NK cells was relatively low compared with that of CD39- NK cells. Nonetheless, a higher proportion of CD39+ NK cells expressed CD107a. Similarly, a higher proportion of CD39+ NK cells expressed CD107a in patients with hepatitis B virus or patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Stimulation with NK-sensitive K562 cells or interleukin (IL)-12/IL-18 activated CD39+ NK cells to express higher levels of CD107a, IFN-γ and TNF-α, relative to CD39- NK cells. Importantly, IL-15 induced the generation of CD39+ NK cells. In contrast, A2A adenosine receptor (A2AR) ligation suppressed the generation of CD39+ NK cells by inhibiting IL-15 signaling. These data for the first time demonstrated that A2AR counteracts IL-15-induced generation of human CD39+ NK cells, which have a stronger cytotoxicity than CD39- NK cells. IL-15-induced human CD39+ NK cells might be better choice for immunotherapy based on adoptive transfer of NK cells.

Liraglutide Nano-Preparation on Perioperative Neurocognitive Dysfunction in Aged Mice.

At present, there is not enough research about the application of liraglutide nano preparations in perioperative neurocognitive dysfunction. Therefore, the purpose of this study is the mechanism of the effect of liraglutide nano preparations on perioperative neurocognitive dysfunction in aged mice. In this study, 140 male SD rats aged 6-8 weeks were used as the research object, and were divided into 4 groups (n=24) according to the random number table method, which were group C (control group), group S (model group), and treatment. Group (low-dose liraglutide pretreated control group) and DS2 group (high-dose liraglutide pretreated control group) were treated with liraglutide anesthesia to establish a cognitive dysfunction model. Morris water maze experiment was conducted 4 days after anesthesia to compare the escape latency and the number of crossings of the original platform in each group; after 4 days of anesthesia, 18 old mice were randomly selected from each group for fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RealTimePCR) and protein Western blotting (Western.Blot) was used to determine the mRNA and protein levels of Caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2 in the hippocampus; the remaining 6 old mice in each group were taken to observe the pathological changes of the hippocampus neurons by transmission electron microscopy . Compared with saline-treated group, the levels of NF-KB, TNF-a and IL-1ß protein in mice treated with liraglutide decreased and IkB increased significantly (p<0.05). Liraglutide intervention may alleviate non-alcoholic fatty liver in diabetic mice by reducing the expression of inflammatory genes in liver tissue, thereby improving neurocognitive dysfunction in mice.

An antifouling electrochemical aptasensor based on hyaluronic acid functionalized polydopamine for thrombin detection in human serum.

Accurate detection of disease markers in a complex biological media is a major challenge because of serious biofouling and non-specific protein adsorption. Herein, a universal strategy for sensitive and low-fouling detection of thrombin in human serum was developed based on hyaluronic acid functionalized polydopamine. The material hyaluronic acid with hydroxyl groups was grafted to the polydopamine modified electrode surface through the connection of 6-mercapto-1-hexanol to exert antifouling performance, and the hyaluronic acid also provided a good substrate for the immobilization of aptamers specific for thrombin. The constructed aptasensor showed good sensitivity and selectivity toward the detection of thrombin with a detection limit as low as 0.03 pM. Moreover, thanks to the presence of hyaluronic acid within the sensing interface, the aptasensor was able to assay thrombin in diluted human serum with markedly decreased side effect of non-specific adsorption.

Asymmetric redundancy of soybean Nodule Inception (NIN) genes in root nodule symbiosis.

Nodule Inception (NIN) is one of the most important root nodule symbiotic genes as it is required for both infection and nodule organogenesis in legumes. Unlike most legumes with a sole NIN gene, there are four putative orthologous NIN genes in soybean (Glycine max). Whether and how these NIN genes contribute to soybean-rhizobia symbiotic interaction remain unknown. In this study, we found that all four GmNIN genes are induced by rhizobia and that conserved CE and CYC binding motifs in their promoter regions are required for their expression in the nodule formation process. By generation of multiplex Gmnin mutants, we found that the Gmnin1a nin2a nin2b triple mutant and Gmnin1a nin1b nin2a nin2b quadruple mutant displayed similar defects in rhizobia infection and root nodule formation, Gmnin2a nin2b produced fewer nodules but displayed a hyper infection phenotype compared to wild type (WT), while the Gmnin1a nin1b double mutant nodulated similar to WT. Overexpression of GmNIN1a, GmNIN1b, GmNIN2a, and GmNIN2b reduced nodule numbers after rhizobia inoculation, with GmNIN1b overexpression having the weakest effect. In addition, overexpression of GmNIN1a, GmNIN2a, or GmNIN2b, but not GmNIN1b, produced malformed pseudo-nodule-like structures without rhizobia inoculation. In conclusion, GmNIN1a, GmNIN2a, and GmNIN2b play functionally redundant yet complicated roles in soybean nodulation. GmNIN1b, although expressed at a comparable level with the other homologs, plays a minor role in root nodule symbiosis. Our work provides insight into the understanding of the asymmetrically redundant function of GmNIN genes in soybean.

Protective effect of dexmedetomidine on lung injury during one-lung ventilation in elderly patients undergoing radical esophagectomy

Abstract This study investigated the protective effect of dexmedetomidine (Dex) on lung injury during one-lung ventilation (OLV) in elderly patients undergoing radical esophagectomy with remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC). Fifty-four esophageal cancer patients undergoing radical esophagectomy were divided into control, RIPC and RIPC+Dex group. During the anesthesia and ventilation in surgery, the RIPC was performed in RIPC group, and the intravenous infusion of Dex based on RIPC was conducted in RIPC+Dex group. At the time immediately before OLV beginning (T1), 60 min of OLV (T2) and end of surgery (T3), the oxygenation index (OI) and respiratory index (RI) were recorded, and the serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels were determined. Results showed that, compared with RIPC group, in RIPC+Dex group the OI at T2 and T3 increased, the RI at T2 and T3 decreased, the serum SOD level at T3 increased, the serum MDA level at T3 decreased, the serum TNF-α and IL-6 levels at T2 and T3 decreased (all P < 0.05). In conclusion, for elderly patients undergoing radical esophagectomy with RIPC, Dex can effectively inhibit the oxidative stress and inflammatory response during OLV, thus alleviating the lung injury and reducing the postoperative complications.

The fabrication of flexible wearable electrodes based on a carbon nanotubes/nickel/nickelous hydroxide ternary composite by facile single-side printing technology.

A new material design strategy is developed to prepare high-performance flexible electrochemical electrodes. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and nickel/nickelous hydroxide (Ni/Ni(OH)2) are compounded through a chemical plating method and hydrothermal process. A single-side printing method is used to combine the active material and a flexible cotton substrate. The interfinger microstructure of the textile electrode can greatly facilitate charge/ion transfer at the electrode-electrolyte interface. One side of the fabric, which is untreated, could directly contact with human skin, providing a comfortable and user-friendly surface. With the CNTs/Ni/Ni(OH)2 ternary composite as a positive electrode and CNTs as a negative electrode, we assembled an in-plane asymmetrical micro-supercapacitor device (SF-NPCs). Thanks to a synergistic effect, SF-NPCs displays a high energy density of 0.29 W h cm-2 at a power density of 7.2 W cm-2. The operating window is extended to 1.5 V, and the device displays good potential for applications in the field of smart textiles.

Experimental Study of the Wettability Characteristic of Thermally Treated Shale.

Extraction of shale gas from shale reservoirs is significantly affected by shale wettability. Recently, thermal recovery technologies (e.g., combustion) have been tested for shale gas recovery. This requires an understanding of the wettability change mechanism for thermally treated shale samples. In this study, the effect of combustion on shale wettability was investigated. Shale samples were first processed to obtain smooth surfaces and then combusted at temperatures of 200, 400, and 800 °C. The initial contact angles and dynamic behavior of water droplets on shale surfaces were recorded using the sessile drop method. It was found that pores and fractures were generated on the shale surfaces following high-temperature combustion. The pore volume and diameter increased with increasing combustion temperature, which improved the connectivity of hydrophilic pore networks. Compared to a raw shale sample, the shale sample combusted at 400 °C showed a smaller initial water contact angle and a more rapid decrease in the contact angle because of the oxidation of organic matter and generation of pore structures. Water droplets were found to completely spread over the surface of the shale sample combusted at 800 °C because of the generation of fractures. Moreover, the van der Waals potential between water droplets and combusted shale samples was determined to be stronger. However, the initial contact angle and dynamic behavior of water droplets did not show a significant change for the shale sample combusted at 200 °C. As a result, high-temperature combustion (≥400 °C) can be used to significantly improve the hydrophilicity of shale.

Metformin Inhibits Propofol-Induced Apoptosis of Mouse Hippocampal Neurons HT-22 Through Downregulating Cav-1.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the neuroprotective function of metformin in suppressing propofol-induced apoptosis of HT-22 cells. METHODS: HT-22 cells were treated with 0, 10 or 100 µmol/L propofol, followed by determination of their proliferative ability. Subsequently, changes in proliferation and apoptosis of propofol-treated HT-22 cells induced with metformin were assessed. Apoptosis-associated genes in HT-22 cells were detected by Western blot. At last, regulatory effects of Cav-1 on propofol and metformin-treated HT-22 cells were examined. RESULTS: Propofol treatment dose-dependently decreased proliferative ability and increased apoptosis ability in HT-22 cells, which were partially blocked by metformin administration. Upregulated Bcl-2 and downregulated Bax were observed in propofol-treated HT-22 cells following metformin administration. In addition, Cav-1 level in HT-22 cells was regulated by metformin treatment. Notably, metformin reversed propofol-induced apoptosis stimulation and proliferation decline in HT-22 cells via downregulating Cav-1. CONCLUSION: In our study, we found that propofol could induce apoptosis of HT-22 cells and metformin could rescue the apoptosis effect regulated by propofol. Then, we found that metformin protects propofol-induced neuronal apoptosis via downregulating Cav-1.

[Serological feature and molecular mechanism for a case with A307 subgroup].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the serological feature and molecular mechanism for a case with A307 subgroup of the ABO blood group system. METHODS: Serological assay was carried out to determine the ABO blood group of the proband and his family members. Genotypes for exons 1 to 7 of the ABO gene were determined with sequence-specific primer polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR) and direct sequencing. The impact of the variant on the stability of alpha-1,3-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (GTA) was predicted through construction of a 3D molecular model. RESULTS: The proband, his brother and daughter were diagnosed with Aend phenotype by serological analysis. Their ABO genotype was determined as A307/O02, with heterozygous c.467C>T (p.P156L) and c.745C>T (p.R249W) variants identified in exon 7 of the ABO gene. Molecular modeling suggested that the p.R249W variant may alter the number of hydrogen bonds between the amino acids. The protein was predicted to have a decreased Δ Δ G value of thermodynamic stability. CONCLUSION: The p.R249W variant may give rise to the A307 subgroup by reducing the stability of the GTA enzyme, leading to serological features of Aend phenotype.

Generation of a multiplex mutagenesis population via pooled CRISPR-Cas9 in soya bean.

The output of genetic mutant screenings in soya bean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] has been limited by its paleopolypoid genome. CRISPR-Cas9 can generate multiplex mutants in crops with complex genomes. Nevertheless, the transformation efficiency of soya bean remains low and, hence, remains the major obstacle in the application of CRISPR-Cas9 as a mutant screening tool. Here, we report a pooled CRISPR-Cas9 platform to generate soya bean multiplex mutagenesis populations. We optimized the key steps in the screening protocol, including vector construction, sgRNA assessment, pooled transformation, sgRNA identification and gene editing verification. We constructed 70 CRISPR-Cas9 vectors to target 102 candidate genes and their paralogs which were subjected to pooled transformation in 16 batches. A population consisting of 407 T0 lines was obtained containing all sgRNAs at an average mutagenesis frequency of 59.2%, including 35.6% lines carrying multiplex mutations. The mutation frequency in the T1 progeny could be increased further despite obtaining a transgenic chimera. In this population, we characterized gmric1/gmric2 double mutants with increased nodule numbers and gmrdn1-1/1-2/1-3 triple mutant lines with decreased nodulation. Our study provides an advanced strategy for the generation of a targeted multiplex mutant population to overcome the gene redundancy problem in soya bean as well as in other major crops.

[Identification and pedigree analysis of ABO subgroup B303].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the molecular mechanism of a case of ABO discrepancies based on the results of blood group serology. METHODS: Five cases of the two-generation pedigrees were analyzed. ABO genotypes were determined using serological tests. DNA sequence analysis was performed on exon 6, exon 7 and intron 3 of the 5 cases to confirm the genotypes of a proband with B subgroup and 4 family members. RESULTS: There were 3 cases of subgroup AB3 and 1 case of subgroup B3 among the 5 family members. The genotypes were identified as A102/B303 and O02/B303, respectively. B303 differed from B101 by intron 3 point mutation (intron3 + 5G>A). CONCLUSION: The point mutation of intron 3 (intron 3+5G>A) is specific in B303.

[Molecular and Genetic Mechanism of Three Cases of Para-Bombay Blood Group].

OBJECTIVE: To explore molecular and genetic mechanism of 3 cases of para-Bombay blood group. METHODS: The bood samples of proband and family members were selected to identify their blood groups with conventional serologic methods, and salivary components carrying the ABH antigens were detected. The coding regions of FUT1 as well as exon 6 and 7 of the ABO gene were amplified using polymerase chain reaction(PCR), and the FUT1 gene was directly sequenced. RESULTS: All the 3 cases of proband were confirmed as para-Bombay blood group. Direct sequencing revealed h new2 (nt328G→A) and h1(nt 547 ΔAG) in FUT1 gene of the proband 1, and FUT1 genotype was h1/h new2. However, the genotypes of his parents were H/h1 and H/h new2, which were non-Bombay individuals. The FUT1 genotypes of proband 2 and 3 were h1h2 (nt 547 ΔAG) and h1h2 (nt 880 ΔTT), respectively. CONCLUSION: The technology of molecular biology can be used to detect the base deletion mutations in FUT1 gene, which contributes to the analysis of molecular and genetic mechanism of para-Bombay blood group.

Aberrant GITR expression on different T cell subsets and the regulation by glucocorticoid in systemic lupus erythematosus.

AIM: The dysfunction of T regulatory cells is important for the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor family-related protein (GITR) is expressed at low levels on resting responder T lymphocytes (Tresps) and is up-regulated on T regulatory cells (Tregs) and activated T cells, diminishing suppressive activity of Tregs and/or leading to resistance to suppression of Tregs by activated effector T cells. We aimed to explore whether SLE patients had an aberrant expression of GITR on Tregs and responder T cells (Tresps) and the regulation by glucocorticoids. METHODS: The surface GITR expression on Tregs and Tresps cells were analyzed by flow cytometry in 32 patients and 15 normal controls. Purified Tregs or Tresps were cultured with glucocorticoid. Apoptosis of the cells were determined by the staining of Annexin V. RESULTS: Systemic lupus erythematosus patients had higher levels of GITR expressed on CD4(+) CD25(+) , CD4(+) CD25(high) and CD4(+) CD25(+) CD127(low/-) Tregs as well as on CD4(+) CD25(-) Tresps compared to healthy controls. The expression of GITR on Tregs and Tresps were positively correlated with score of SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI). In vitro glucocorticoid induced GITR expression on purified Tresp cells, but not on Tregs, and almost all of the GITR positive cells induced by glucocorticoid encountered apoptosis. CONCLUSION: Aberrant expression of GITR may contribute to SLE pathogenesis. Glucocorticoid may achieve its therapeutic effect partly by inducing GITR expression on Tresps rather than Tregs, which initiates the apoptosis of Tresp cells in SLE patients.

Chapter 3: Cohort life tables by smoking status, removing lung cancer as a cause of death.

The purpose of this study was to develop life tables by smoking status removing lung cancer as a cause of death. These life tables are inputs to studies that compare the effectiveness of lung cancer treatments or interventions, and provide a way to quantify time until death from causes other than lung cancer. The study combined actuarial and statistical smoothing methods, as well as data from multiple sources, to develop separate life tables by smoking status, birth cohort, by single year of age, and by sex. For current smokers, separate life tables by smoking quintiles were developed based on the average number of cigarettes smoked per day by birth cohort. The end product is the creation of six non-lung-cancer life tables for males and six tables for females: five current smoker quintiles and one for never smokers. Tables for former smokers are linear combinations of the appropriate table based on the current smoker quintile before quitting smoking and the never smoker probabilities, plus added covariates for the smoking quit age and time since quitting.

[Analysis of immunophenotypic features of blasts in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome by flow cytometry and its diagnostic significance].

This study was purposed to analyse the characteristics of blast immunophenotype in patients with refractory anemia with excess blasts, type 1 (RAEB-1) and refractory anemia with excess blasts, type 2 (RAEB-2) by flow cytometry and investigate its diagnostic significance, as well as to compare the blast rate detected by FCM and bone marrow smear (BMS). FCM was used to count the blast rate and detect the expression of its antigens in 29 cases of MDS. The result indicated that: (1) The rate of the blasts detected by FCM and BMS was not statistically significant between patients with RAEB-1 and with RAEB-2 (P > 0.05); (2) Out of 13 patients with RAEB-1, the blasts of 10 cases, 12 cases, 8 cases, 11 cases, 11 cases, 3 cases, 7 cases, 0 case, 0 case, 3 cases and 2 cases patients had positive expressions of CD34, HLA-DR, CD117, CD33, CD13, CD15, CD11b, CD3, CD19, CD7 and CD56, separately. The blasts of 12 cases, 13 cases, 3 cases, 12 cases, 15 cases, 7 cases, 5 cases, 0 case, 1 case, 4 cases and 2 cases among 16 patients with RAEB-2 positively expressed CD34, HLA-DR, CD117, CD33, CD13, CD15, CD11b, CD3, CD19, CD7 and CD56, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in the expression of antigens in blasts of the bone marrow between the patients with RAEB-1 and with RAEB-2 (P > 0.05); (3) The positive expression for CD15 and CD11b in blasts was found in 10 cases and 12 cases, respectively; (4) The positive expression for CD19, CD7 and CD56 was observed in 1, 7 and 4 cases, respectively. None of the 29 cases of MDS was positive for CD3. It is concluded that FCM can reveal the characteristics of immunophenotypic abnormalities of the blasts in patients with MDS and provide the important information for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of MDS.

[Effects of glucocorticoids on the expression of GTIR and apoptosis of the CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(dim/-) T cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) and apoptosis of CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(dim/-) T cells of the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),and to analyze its clinical value. METHODS: A total of 28 patients with a diagnosis of SLE according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1997 criteria were included in the study. The SLE patients were divided into active group (SLEDAI≥10) and inactive group (SLEDAI<10) according to the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI). Active group included 15 patients and inactive group 13 patients. Clinical and laboratory data of the patients with SLE were recorded. In this study 12 normal volunteers without history of autoimmune diseases were also included. Peripheral blood CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(dim/-) T cells were isolated by magnetic beads sorting. We classified them into two subgroups: the blank group and the therapeutic dose group (dexamethasone dose was 5×10(-2) mg/L and the peripheral blood CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(dim/-) T cells with dexamethasone were cultured for 48 hours). The expressions of GITR and Annexin V were analyzed by flow cytometry before and after the culture. The correlations between GITR levels, apoptosis rates of these subsets and the clinic, laboratory parameters of SLE were analyzed. RESULTS: GITR levels and apoptosis rates in the patients with SLE were significantly higher than those in the normal control group (P=0.016; P=0.049). The expression levels of GITR on Treg cells between the blank group and the therapeutic dose group were found be of no significant difference in the patients with SLE (P>0.05), but in the normal group, the expression levels of GITR in the therapeutic dose group were higher than those in the blank group (P=0.034). After adding dexamethasone, the apoptosis rates of Treg cells were decreased in the patients with SLE, the difference was statistically significant (P=0.033); But in the normal control group, the apoptosis rate of Treg cells was higher in the therapeutic dose group than in the blank group (P=0.012). The expression levels of GITR on Treg cells were significantly positively correlated with SLEDAI, but were correlated negatively with the C3. CONCLUSION: The GITR is pathologically expressed on Treg cells in SLE, which may be used as an immunological index of SLE disease activity; Glucocorticoids may regulate immune abnormalities in patients with SLE by inhibiting the apoptosis of Treg cells.

Bis[1-benzyl-3-(quinolin-8-ylmeth-yl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl]dibromido-palladium(II) acetonitrile disolvate.

In the title compound, [PdBr(2)(C(20)H(17)N(3))(2)]·2CH(3)CN, the Pd atom, which lies on an inversion center, is four-coordinated in a square-planar geometry. The two imidazole rings are coplanar and nearly perpendicular to the plane formed by Pd, the coordinated imidazole C atom and one of the Br atoms, making a dihedral angle of 75.1 (2)°.