Glomerular Expression of S100A8 in Lupus Nephritis: An Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis.

Introduction: Lupus nephritis (LN) is a major risk factor of morbidity and mortality. Glomerular injury is associated with different pathogeneses and clinical presentations in LN patients. However, the molecular mechanisms involved are not well understood. This study aimed to explore the molecular characteristics and mechanisms of this disease using bioinformatics analysis. Methods: To characterize glomeruli in LN, microarray datasets GSE113342 and GSE32591 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and analyzed to determine the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between LN glomeruli and normal glomeruli. Functional enrichment analyses and protein-protein interaction network analyses were then performed. Module analysis was performed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins and Cytoscape software. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to identify the glomerular expression of S100A8 in various International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society (ISN/RPS) class LN patients. The image of each glomerulus was acquired using a digital imaging system, and the green fluorescence intensity was quantified using Image-Pro Plus software. Results: A total of 13 DEGs, consisting of 12 downregulated genes and one upregulated gene (S100A8), were identified in the microarray datasets. The functions and pathways associated with the DEGs mainly include inflammatory response, innate immune response, neutrophil chemotaxis, leukocyte migration, cell adhesion, cell-cell signaling, and infection. We also found that monocytes and activated natural killer cells were upregulated in both GSE113342 and GSE32591. Glomerular S100A8 staining was significantly enhanced compared to that in the controls, especially in class IV. Conclusions: The DEGs identified in the present study help us understand the underlying molecular mechanisms of LN. Our results show that glomerular S100A8 expression varies in different pathological types; however, further research is required to confirm the role of S100A8 in LN.

Antiphospholipid antibodies and osteonecrosis in systemic lupus erythematosus: a meta-analysis.

Objectives: The present meta-analysis aimed to assess the relationship between antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) or antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) and the incidence of osteonecrosis (ON) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.Methods: MEDLINE/Pubmed, EMBASE, Web of science, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), the Wan-Fang Database, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched from their inception up until 26 December 2020. Studies in English were included. Case-control studies and cohort studies were included. Studies pertaining to the link between aPLs or APS and ON patients were slated for inclusion in the current analysis.Results: Twenty-two studies involving a total of 3054 SLE patients were included. The positivities of anticardiolipin antibody (ACL), IgG ACL, IgM ACL, LA and APS in SLE is not associated with ON. One study showed that IgG or IgM ß2GP1 had no association with ON. No publication bias was detected. The quality of this evidence was low because of the high risk of bias across studies, and therefore robust inferences cannot be made.Conclusion: SLE patients demonstrated a weak association between aPLs and ON. The nature of the association between aPLs and ON in SLE needs to be investigated in-depth in future research.

Effect of visual working memory contents on visual function and fluid intelligence / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the influence of visual working memory contents on visual func-tion and fluid intelligence.Methods 42 subjects were randomly divided into three groups:controll group in-cluding 17 people who had no training,working memory based on Gabor vision group including 13 people and standard working memory group including 12 people who received the N-back working memory training for 15 days,and lasted half an hour in every day.The contrast sensitivity was recorded and measured using OPTEC6500,and the fluid intelligence was measured with the Raven's advanced progressive matrices before and after training.Results In the Gabor working memory group,there were salient gains in contrast sensitivi-ty(respectively(1.48±0.26)log,(1.87±0.13)log,P＜0.05)and in fluid intelligence(respectively(11.15± 1.28),(13.46±1.76),P＜0.05)between pre-and post-test. In the standard working memory group,the con-trast sensitivity improvement was not significant(respectively(1.72±0.30)log,(1.75±0.31)log,P＞0.05),the fluid intelligence increased significantly(respectively(11.25±1.91),(13.00±1.86),P＜0.05); while the controlling group had no significant difference in contrast sensitivity (respectively(1.61±0.26)log,(1.67± 0.25)log,P＞0.05)and in fluid intelligence(respectively(11.41±1.87),(11.58±1.94),P＞0.05) between pre-and post-test.Conclusion Working memory training based on Gabor vision can enhance the subjective perception of visual stimuli and improve the behavioral effect of visual contrast sensitivity, but the visual working memory contents do not affect the migration effect of working memory training on fluid intelligence.

Exploration of phenomena and regularity of heat-sensitive acupoints based on bibliometrics / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the phenomena and regularity of heat-sensitive acupoints for clinic and further study.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Modern literature before May 11st, 2017 on heat-sensitive phenomena was retrieved from CNKI, VIP, database, and SinoMED. The research trend of heat-sensitive acupoints and interventions, heat-sensitive region, detection indexes, and diseases were analyzed by bibliometrics.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among 201 included papers, 35 papers on healthy person was the highest, which were mainly related to Mingmen (GV 4) with 8 papers. As to the detection indexes, 125 papers on the individual, saturated and sensation vanishing moxibustion quantity accounted for the largest part, which were most relevant to the points in the bladder meridian of foot- (66 papers) and soft tissue injury (29 papers), and the second part was infrared radiation feature (61 papers), which were most relevant to healthy person (23 papers).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Heat-sensitive phenomena own regularity, and the detection indexes are specific to heat-sensitive points in healthy person or patients with different diseases.</p>

Action mechanism of acupuncture along meridians on improving energy metabolism in cardiomyocytes / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the protective effect of acupuncture along meridians on rats with myocardial ischemia and its effect and action mechanism on cardiomyocyte energy metabolism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 104 healthy 12-week-old SD rats were fed adaptively for 1 week and included into study with no disease symptoms observed. Of them, 24 SD rats were selected regardless of gender, and were randomly divided into a blank group and a sham operation group, 12 rats in each one. The remaining 80 SD rats were treated with ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery to establish the model of myocardial ischemia. The successful rate of model establishment was 60%, and 48 rats survived. They were randomly divided into a model group, an acupuncture along meridian group, an acupuncture along another-meridian group and a non-acupoint group, 12 rats in each one. The blank group was not treated with operation, but only bundle fixation. The sham operation group was treated with sham operation (coronary artery was not ligatured). The model group bundle fixation. The acupuncture along meridian group were treated with electroacupuncture (EA) at "Neiguan" (PC 6), the acupuncture along another-meridian group were treated with EA at "Hegu" (LI 4), and the non-acupoints group were treated at a non-acupoint which located in the hollow of the 3rd and 4th metatarsal bones of the dorsal foot of fore rate limb. Each bundle fixation or EA was given for 30 min, once a day for consecutive 5 days. The electrocardiogram was tested in all groups; the apoptosis rate of cardiomyocytes was detected by Tunel; the contents of ATP, ADP and AMP in myocardium were detected by high performance liquid chromatography.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The ST segment voltage after model establishment was higher than that before modeling (all<0.05). Compared with the model group after intervention, the ST segment was elevated in the acupuncture along meridian group, acupuncture along another-meridian group and non-acupoint group (<0.01,<0.05), but the apoptosis rate of cardiomyocytes was significantly reduced (all<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture along another-meridian group and non-acupoint group, the apoptosis rate of cardiomyocytes in the acupuncture along meridian group was significantly decreased (both<0.01). Compared with the model group after intervention, the content of ATP was increased in acupuncture along meridian group (<0.05); compared with the non-acupoint group, the content of ATP was increased in the acupuncture along meridian group (<0.05); compared with the model group, the contents of ADP and AMP were reduced in the acupuncture along meridian group, acupuncture along another-meridian group and non-acupoint group (all<0.05); the energy charge EC in the acupuncture along meridian group was higher than that in the model group (<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture along meridians can effectively relieve the damage of cardiac muscle tissue; the possible mechanism is to increase ATP and reduce ADP, AMP of cardiomyocytes, so EC level is elevated and myocardial cell apoptosis is inhibited, leading to protective effect on cardiac muscle tissue and cells.</p>

Cross-sectional study on health care seeking behavior and financial burden of patients with rheumatic diseases in Fujian Province / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective To investigate and analyze the health care seeking behavior,financial burden and relative factors of patients with rheumatic diseases in Fujian Province.Methods Patients diagnosed with rheumatic diseases were investigated in Fujian Provincial Hospital from December 2013 to February 2014,including demographic data,health care seeking behavior and financial burden.Relevant factors were analyzed by Logistic regression.Results ① In this study,474 patients were enrolled.The ratio of male to female was 1∶2.38.② At the onset of symptoms,51.9％(246 cases) of patients visited a doctor as soon as possible,and 36.1％(171 cases) of them went to hospital within a month after disease onset.③ 74.1％(351 cases) of patients could adhere to medication regimen prescribed by doctors,and the most common reason for stopping medication was symptoms relieved (33.3％,41 cases).④ 63.1％(299 cases) of patients learned about the knowledge of rheumatic diseases from hospitals and doctors.⑤ 34.2％(162 cases) of patients spent 1 000-5 000 yuan every month on treatment.⑥ Insurance type could affect the time of first visit to hospital (P=0.004),while income and cost of therapy might impact patients' compliance (P=0.013,P=0.004).Conclusion Most patients will go to hospital as soon as possible and adhere to treatment.Economic situation is the main factor influencing health care seeking behavior of patients with rheumatic diseases.