Knowledge, attitude, and practice of patients living with inflammatory bowel disease: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) generally have poor knowledge, attitude, and practice of their disease, while the data from China are lacking. AIM: To address this knowledge disparity among Chinese patients with IBD. METHODS: This web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted on a cohort of IBD patients who visited the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University between December 2022 and February 2023. Their socio-demographic information and the knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were collected and estimated using a self-designed questionnaire. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to determine the pairwise correlations among knowledge, attitude, and practice scores. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was further performed to determine the independent factors associated with their knowledge, attitude, and practice scores. RESULTS: A total of 353 patients (224 males) with IBD completed the questionnaires. The mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 10.05 ± 3.46 (possible range: 0-14), 41.58 ± 5.23 (possible range: 0-56), 44.20 ± 7.39 (possible range: 0-56), respectively, indicating good knowledge, positive attitude, and proactive practice toward IBD. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that the knowledge score had significant positive correlations with the attitude score (r = 0.371, P < 0.001) and practice score (r = 0.100, P < 0.001). The attitude score had a significant positive correlation with the practice score (r = 0.452, P < 0.001). Moreover, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that aged 30-40 years [odds ratio (OR) = 4.06, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-15.82, P = 0.043], middle school education (OR = 3.98, 95%CI: 1.29-12.33, P = 0.017), high school/technical secondary school education (OR = 14.06, 95%CI: 3.92-50.38, P < 0.001), and junior college/bachelor's degree and above education (OR = 15.20, 95%CI: 4.15-55.650, P < 0.001) were independently associated with good knowledge. The higher knowledge score was independently associated with a positive attitude (OR = 1.23, 95%CI: 1.11-1.36, P < 0.001). The higher attitude score was independently associated with proactive practice (OR = 1.20, 95%CI: 1.11-1.30, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Chinese patients with IBD might have good knowledge, a positive attitude, and proactive practice toward their disease. However, a small number of specific items require education.

Effects of microRNA-320 on learning and memory in mice with vascular cognitive impairment caused via cerebral ischemia.

We aimed to explore microRNA (miR)-320's impacts on learning and memory in mice with vascular cognitive impairment induced via cerebral ischemia. After establishment of a cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) cognitive impairment model, application of corresponding treatment methods was in the model mice to inject miR-320 antagomir/agomir and their negative controls to the lateral ventricles: Test of the learning and memory abilities of mice was conducted; Detection of oxidative stress, inflammation, miR-320, Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endostatin (ES) was implemented; Taking mouse hippocampal neuron cells was to detect the cell advancement. MiR-320 was elevated in the CSVD model; MiR-320 was negatively linked with the learning and memory abilities of mice; Repressing miR-320 was available to memorably elevate the learning and memory abilities of CSVD mice; Depressing miR-320 clearly drove CSVD mouse neovascular protein VEGF, but reduced inflammation, oxidative stress response and ES; Restraining miR-320 was available to contribute to mouse neuronal cell advancement. MiR-320 mitigates the learning and memory abilities of cerebral ischemia-induced vascular cognitive dysfunction mice to a certain extent.

Discovery of potential RIPK1 inhibitors by machine learning and molecular dynamics simulations.

Receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) plays a crucial role in inflammation and cell death, so it is a promising candidate for the treatment of autoimmune, inflammatory, neurodegenerative, and ischemic diseases. So far, there are no approved RIPK1 inhibitors available. In this study, four machine learning algorithms were employed (random forest, extra trees, extreme gradient boosting and light gradient boosting machine) to predict small molecule inhibitors of RIPK1. The statistical metrics revealed similar performance and demonstrated outstanding predictive capabilities in all four models. Molecular docking and clustering analysis were employed to confirm six compounds that are structurally distinct from existing RIPK1 inhibitors. Subsequent molecular dynamics simulations were performed to evaluate the binding ability of these compounds. Utilizing the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) method, the 1855 bit has been identified as the most significant molecular fingerprint fragment. The findings propose that these six small molecules exhibit promising potential for targeting RIPK1 in associated diseases. Notably, the identification of Cpd-1 small molecule (ZINC000085897746) from the Musa acuminate highlights its natural product origin, warranting further attention and investigation.

Implementation of a motivational programme based on existence- relatedness-growth theory in nursing undergraduate interns: A quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Currently, a paramount issue in nursing education is to motivate nursing undergraduate interns to develop self-directed learning skills and improve their practice satisfaction and professional identity, so as to meet the growing demands in healthcare. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a motivational programme based on the Existence-Relatedness-Growth (ERG) theory in developing self-directed learning skills, improving practice satisfaction and promoting the professional identity of nursing undergraduate interns in China. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental study design. SETTING: A government-funded tertiary teaching hospital in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China. METHODS: This study was conducted with 99 nursing undergraduate interns in a hospital between June 2020 and April 2022. The interns in the experimental group (n = 50) participated in the motivational programme based on ERG theory, while those in the control group (n = 49) underwent a traditional training programme. The interns in the two groups were compared in terms of their degree of self-directed learning, practice satisfaction and professional identity after the training, using independent samples t-test. RESULTS: After the internship, interns in the experimental group showed a statistically significantly higher level of self-directed learning and practice satisfaction than those in the control group (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was observed in professional identity between the two groups after the internship. CONCLUSIONS: The motivational programme based on ERG theory was shown to be effective in improving self-directed learning and practice satisfaction in nursing undergraduate interns. A large-scale randomized controlled trial is warranted to confirm the results.

Rolipram Ameliorates Memory Deficits and Depression-Like Behavior in APP/PS1/tau Triple Transgenic Mice: Involvement of Neuroinflammation and Apoptosis via cAMP Signaling.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer disease (AD) and depression often cooccur, and inhibition of phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) has been shown to ameliorate neurodegenerative illness. Therefore, we explored whether PDE4 inhibitor rolipram might also improve the symptoms of comorbid AD and depression. METHODS: APP/PS1/tau mice (10 months old) were treated with or without daily i.p. injections of rolipram for 10 days. The animal groups were compared in behavioral tests related to learning, memory, anxiety, and depression. Neurochemical measures were conducted to explore the underlying mechanism of rolipram. RESULTS: Rolipram attenuated cognitive decline as well as anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. These benefits were attributed at least partly to the downregulation of amyloid-ß, Amyloid precursor protein (APP), and Presenilin 1 (PS1); lower tau phosphorylation; greater neuronal survival; and normalized glial cell function following rolipram treatment. In addition, rolipram upregulated B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and downregulated Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) to reduce apoptosis; it also downregulated interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α to restrain neuroinflammation. Furthermore, rolipram increased cAMP, PKA, 26S proteasome, EPAC2, and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 while decreasing EPAC1. CONCLUSIONS: Rolipram may mitigate cognitive deficits and depression-like behavior by reducing amyloid-ß pathology, tau phosphorylation, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis. These effects may be mediated by stimulating cAMP/PKA/26S and cAMP/exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (EPAC)/ERK signaling pathways. This study suggests that PDE4 inhibitor rolipram can be an effective target for treatment of comorbid AD and depression.

A simple and accurate LC­MS/MS method for monitoring cyclosporin A that is suitable for high throughput analysis.

With time, the number of samples in clinical laboratories from therapeutic drug monitoring has increased. Existing analytical methods for blood cyclosporin A (CSA) monitoring, such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and immunoassays, have limitations including cross-reactivity, time consumption, and the complicated procedures involved. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has long been considered the reference standard owing to its high accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity. However, large numbers of blood samples, multi-step preparation procedures, and longer analytical times (2.5-20 min) are required as a consequence of the different technical strategies, to ensure good analytical performance and routine quality assurance. A stable, reliable, and high throughput detection method will save personnel time and reduce laboratory costs. Therefore, a high throughput and simple LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the detection of whole-blood CSA with CSA-d12 as the internal standard in the present study. Whole blood samples were prepared through a modified one-step protein precipitation method. A C18 column (50x2.1 mm, 2.7 µm) with a mobile phase flow rate of 0.5 ml/min was used for chromatographic separation with a total running time of 4.3 min to avoid the matrix effect. To protect the mass spectrometer, only part of the sample after LC separation was allowed to enter the mass spectrum, using two HPLC systems coupled to one mass spectrometry. In this way, throughput was improved with detection of two samples possible within 4.3 min using a shorter analytical time for each sample of 2.15 min. This modified LC-MS/MS method showed excellent analytical performance and demonstrated less matrix effect and a wide linear range. The design of multi-LC systems coupled with one mass spectrometry may play a notable role in the improvement of daily detection throughput, speeding up LC-MS/MS, and allowing it to be an integral part of continuous diagnostics in the near future.

Effects of Danggui-Shaoyao-San on central neuroendocrine and pharmacokinetics in female ovariectomized rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The traditional Chinese medicine formula Danggui-Shaoyao-San (DSS) has been reported to have estrogen-like effects and therapeutic effects on the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). AIM OF THE STUDY: To explore whether the central oxytocin and neuroendocrine system is involved in the modulating effects of DSS on the cognition and neuropsychiatric hebaviors in female AD rats, and to investigate the pharmacokinetics of paeoniflorin and ferulic acid in female AD rats with DSS treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: DSS (1.2, 3.2, 8.6 g/kg/day) was orally administered to ovariectomized (OVX) rats, and saline was orally administered to sham operation rats as control group. The Morris water maze test, novel object recognition test, and passive avoidance test were conducted for evaluation of learning and memory abilities, while elevated plus maze test and forced swim test were performed to assess anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors. ELISA kits were used to detect the levels of estrogen (E), estrogen receptor α (ERα), oxytocin (OT), oxytocin receptor (OTR), acetylcholine (Ach), acetylcholin esterase (AchE), and choline acetyl transferase (ChAT) in the cortex. The concentrations of Ach, glutamate (Glu), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) in the hippocampus were assessed by HPLC-MS. The changes of neuronal morphology in the hippocampus were observed by Nissl staining. The pharmacokinetics of paeoniflorin and ferulic acid in OVX rats with DSS treatment were studied by HPLC. RESULTS: In the Morris water maze test, novel object recognition test, and passive avoidance test, OVX rats showed cognitive impairment. In the elevated plus maze test and forced swim test, the anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors of OVX rats were significant as compared to the control group. Treatment of DSS significantly imporved the cognitive deficits, and ameliorated anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors of OVX rats. The expression of E, ERα, OT, OTR, AchE and ChAT in the cortex of model group were significantly decreased, and DSS significantly reversed these changes. The concentrations of Ach, Glu, GABA, 5-HT and NE in the hippocampus of OVX rats were significantly decreased, whereas DSS significantly increased the levels of Ach, Glu, GABA, 5-HT and NE. There was no significant difference in the concentration of DA in the hippocampus among groups. Degenerating neurons in the hippocampal CA3 region were observed in OVX rats, and the number of neurons was decreased. DSS treatment reduced the degenerating neurons, and incresed the number of neurons. The MRT (0 - ∞), AUC (0 - ∞), Cmax and t1/2z values of paeoniflorin, and the AUC 0-∞ and Cmax value of ferulic acid were higher in DSS-treated OVX rats than those in the DSS-treated control rats. CONCLUSIONS: DSS improves the learning and memory ability, and attenuates anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors of OVX rats. The mechanism may be through increasing estrogen, reducing cholinergic damage, and modulating neurotransmitters. The increase in absorption and elimination time of paeoniflorin and ferulic acid in OVX rats may enhance the efficacy of DSS.

Randomized clinical trial: the effects of pregabalin for centrally mediated abdominal pain syndrome.

Background: Pregabalin is worldwidely licensed for the treatment of a variety of pain syndromes and supposed to be a potential candidate for the centrally mediated abdominal pain syndrome (CAPS). Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of pregabalin on nociceptive and emotional symptoms in CAPS patients. Design: This is an open-label randomized controlled trial. Methods: CAPS patients were randomized to receive pregabalin 75 mg (P group), pinaverium bromide 50 mg (PB group), or pregabalin combined pinaverium bromide regimen (P + PB group) three times daily for 4 weeks. Questionnaires were completed biweekly. The primary outcomes were defined as the average abdominal pain scores of severity and frequency at weeks 2 and 4. Secondary outcomes included the reduction in abdominal pain scores, Somatic Self-rating Scale (SSS), Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale 7 (GAD-7) scales obtained at the end of trial to the baseline. Results: Totally, 102 eligible patients were recruited and randomized. The mean severity scores of abdominal pain were 1.39 ± 1.28, 0.97 ± 1.43 versus 2.91 ± 1.44 (p < 0.0001) in P or PB + P group versus PB group at week 2 and were 0.90 ± 1.21, 1.28 ± 1.87 versus 2.74 ± 1.75 (p < 0.0001) at week 4. The mean frequency scores were 2.55 ± 2.55, 2.03 ± 2.80 versus 5.12 ± 2.09(p < 0.0001) in P or PB + P group versus PB group at week 2 and were 1.72 ± 2.46, 2.00 ± 2.90 versus 4.55 ± 2.55 (p < 0.0001) at week 4. When comparing the changes in SSS, PHQ-15, and GAD-7 scores, patients accepting pregabalin or pregabalin combination regimen reported a more decrease than pinaverium bromide recipients (p = 0.0002, p = 0.0002, and p = 0.0033). Conclusion: This trial suggests that pregabalin may be beneficial for CAPS abdominal pain and concomitant somatic or anxiety symptoms. Registration: www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR1900028026).

Circ_0022920 Maintains the Contractile Phenotype of Human Aortic Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Via Sponging microRNA-650 and Promoting Transforming Growth Factor Beta Receptor 1 Expression in Angiotensin II-Induced Models for Aortic Dissection.

Background Abnormal regulation of vascular smooth muscle cells is regarded as the iconic pathological change of aortic dissection (AD). Herein, we aim to identify circ_0022920 as a crucial regulator in AD. Methods and Results Microarray analysis of circular RNAs, messenger RNAs, and micro RNAs in patients with AD was performed, and we identified that circ_0022920 was significantly downregulated in these patients. The Pearson correlation analysis uncovered the negative correlation between miR-650 and circ_0022920 or TGFßR1 (transforming growth factor beta receptor 1). Angiotensin II was used to treat human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) and mice as models for AD. Hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome staining were used to analyze AD histopathology. Cell proliferation was analyzed with Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and EdU incorporation. Cell migration was assessed with transwell and wound healing assays. Enhanced circ_0022920 expression dramatically inhibited HASMC proliferation and migration and maintained contractile marker expression induced by angiotensin II, whereas miR-650 exerted opposite effects. MiR-650 was a target of circ_0022920. MiR-650 targeted IRF1 (interferon regulatory factor 1) and thus negatively regulated TGFßR1 expression to promote HASMC proliferation and migration and inhibit contractile marker expression. Circ_0022920 suppressed the progression of AD in vivo. Conclusions Circ_0022920 modulates the contractile phenotype of HASMCs via regulating the miR-650-IRF1-TGFßR1 axis in angiotensin II-induced models for AD, which provides potential therapeutic targets for AD.

Single-pixel imaging of a translational object.

Image-free tracking methods based on single-pixel detectors (SPDs) can track a moving object at a very high frame rate, but they rarely can achieve simultaneous imaging of such an object. In this study, we propose a method for simultaneously obtaining the relative displacements and images of a translational object. Four binary Fourier patterns and two differential Hadamard patterns are used to modulate one frame of the object and then modulated light signals are obtained by SPD. The relative displacements and image of the moving object can be gradually obtained along with the detection. The proposed method does not require any prior knowledge of the object and its motion. The method has been verified by simulations and experiments, achieving a frame rate of 3332 Hz to acquire relative displacements of a translational object at a spatial resolution of 128 × 128 pixels using a 20000-Hz digital micro-mirror device. This proposed method can broaden the application of image-free tracking methods and obtain spatial information about moving objects.

Traditional Chinese Medicine constitution types of high-normal blood pressure: A meta-analysis.

Objective: We determined the distribution of constitutional types of high-normal blood pressure in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and provided evidence for the prevention of high-normal blood pressure and hypertension. Methods: Eight digital databases were searched from January 2011 to November 2022, including PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, CNKI, CBM, Wangfang, and CQVIP. We performed a meta-analysis with the random-effects model or fixed-effects model to describe the distribution of constitutional types of high-normal blood pressure in TCM. The studies were assessed based on heterogeneity testing and the potential for publication bias. The meta-analysis was performed on Stata software 15.0. Results: A total of 17 studies with 8118 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The proportion of the biased constitution (82.3%; 95% CI: 75.6%-89.1%, p < 0.001) was higher than the balanced constitution (17.3%; 95% CI: 10.7-23.8%, p < 0.001). Phlegm-dampness constitution, Yin-deficiency constitution, and damp-heat constitution accounted for 16.0% (95%CI: 10.5-21.5%, p < 0.001), 14.8% (95% CI: 11.0-18.6%, p < 0.001), 11.3% (95% CI: 8.0-14.5%, p < 0.001) of the total high-normal blood pressure cases, respectively. The subgroup analyses performed that region, age and gender were positively associated with the distribution of constitution types of high-normal blood pressure in TCM. Compared with the general population, the risk of high-normal blood pressure in people with the phlegm-dampness constitution, Yin-deficiency constitution, and blood-stasis constitution was 2.665 (95%CI: 2.286-3.106, p < 0.001), 2.378 (95%CI: 1.197-4.724, p = 0.013), 1.965 (95%CI: 1.634-2.363, p < 0.001) times of the general population, respectively. Meanwhile, the risk of high-normal blood pressure was lower in people with a balanced constitution (0.248, 95%CI: 0.165-0.372, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Phlegm-dampness constitution, Yin-deficiency constitution, and damp-heat constitution were the common constitution types of high-normal blood pressure. There might also be differences in the distribution characteristics of TCM constitution among people with high-normal blood pressure in different regions, ages, and genders. Finally, a balanced constitution might be a protective factor for hypertensive people.

High-quality compressed sensing imaging with limited detector bits using sparse measurements and multiple dithers.

High-flux measurement characteristics of compressed sensing (CS) imaging causes the imaging system prone to be disturbed by quantization. To realize high-quality CS imaging with limited detector bits, an improved imaging method combining sparse measurements and multiple dithers is proposed to reduce the dynamic range of the measured signals and increase that of effective detection. Simulations and experiments show that compared with traditional CS imaging, the proposed system decreases reconstruction errors caused by quantization distortions and may reduce the required number of detector bits to 1. The effects of detector noise and system parameters are discussed to validate the feasibility and performance of this method.

Eight TRIM32 isoforms from oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense are involved in innate immunity during white spot syndrome virus infection.

Tripartite motif (TRIM) proteins comprise a large family of RING-type ubiquitin E3 ligases that regulate important biological processes. In this study, full-length MnTRIM32 cDNA was obtained from oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense, and eight MnTRIM32 isoforms generated by alternative splicing were identified. The open reading frames of the eight MnTRIM32 isoforms were predicted to be separately composed of 402, 346, 347, 346, 414, 358, 359, and 358 amino acid residues. Protein structural analysis revealed that all MnTRIM32 isoforms contained a RING domain and a coiled coil region. MnTRIM32 was ubiquitously expressed in all tissues tested, with the highest expression in the hepatopancreas. The mRNA levels of MnTRIM32 in the gills, stomach, and intestine of prawns were found to undergo time-dependent enhancement following white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) stimulation. Double-stranded RNA interference studies revealed that MnTRIM32 silencing significantly downregulated the expression levels of interferon (IFN) regulatory factor MnIRF, IFN-like factor MnVago4, and tumor necrosis factor MnTNF. Furthermore, knockdown of MnTRIM32 in WSSV-challenged prawns increased the expression of VP28 and the number of WSSV copies, suggesting that MnTRIM32 plays a positive role in limiting WSSV infection. These findings provided strong evidence for the important role of MnTRIM32 in the antiviral innate immunity of M. nipponense.

Association between self-care disability and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly Chinese people.

OBJECTIVE: In the context of an increased focus on geriatric depression in recent years, this study examined the associations between different types of self-care disability, the number of self-care disabilities, and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly Chinese people. METHOD: The data for this study were extracted from the follow-up survey (conducted in 2018) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The sample comprised 10808 participants aged 45 years and older. The Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD-10) Scale were used to assess self-care disability and depressive symptoms, respectively. RESULT: The prevalence of depressive symptoms and self-care disability among the surveyed residents was 45.1% and 23.4%, respectively. Overall, there was a significant positive association between self-care disability and depressive symptoms. Participants who reported having a self-care disability in relation dressing, bathing, transferring in and out of bed, using the toilet, and controlling urination and defecation were found to have a significantly higher risk of depressive symptoms. In addition, participants with a greater cumulative quantity of self-care disabilities had a higher risk of depressive symptoms, and higher CESD-10 scores. CONCLUSION: Self-care disability is a risk factor for depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly Chinese people. A positive correlation between the number of self-care disabilities and the risk of depressive symptoms was found.

Driver mutations in ADGRL3 are involved in the evolution of ependymoma.

Although there have been recent advances in the molecular pathology of ependymomas, little is known about the underlying molecular evolution during its development. Here, we assessed the clinical, pathological and molecular evolutionary process of ependymoma recurrence in a 9-year-old patient who had seven recurrences of supratentorial ependymoma and died from intracranial multiregional recurrences at the age of 19 years old. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 7 tumor samples (1 primary and 6 subsequent recurrent tumors) was performed to elucidate the mutation landscape and identify potential driver mutations for tumor evolution. The genetic profiles of the seven tumor specimens showed significant heterogeneity and suggested a highly branched evolutionary pattern. The mutational signatures and chromothripsis changed with treatments. Strikingly, adhesion G protein-coupled receptor L3 (ADGRL3, also known as Latrophilins 3, LPNH3) was found to be consistently mutated during the entire disease process. However, Sanger sequencing of other 78 ependymoma patients who underwent surgery at our institution showed no genetic alteration of ADGRL3, as found in the present case. The mRNA levels of ADGRL3 were significantly lower in ependymomas (n = 36), as compared with normal brain tissue (n = 3). Grade III ependymomas had the lowest ADGRL3 expression. Moreover, ependymomas with lower mRNA level of ADGRL3 had shorter overall survival. Our findings, therefore, demonstrate a rare evolutionary process of ependymoma involving ADGRL3.

A mixed-method evaluation of the relationship between Oxford classification scores and longitudinal changes in proteinuria in patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Oxford Classification scores and longitudinal changes in proteinuria in patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). Methods: The study was a single-center retrospective cohort study involving 358 patients with primary IgAN who were treated at the Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, China, between January 2011 and May 2021. Multivariate linear regression and generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs), adjusted for traditional risk confounders, were used to evaluate the correlation between scores for mesangial hypercellularity (M), endocapillary hypercellularity (E), segmental glomerulosclerosis (S), tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis (T), and crescents (C) (known as the Oxford Classification MEST-C score system), with proteinuria/creatinine ratio (PCR) at the time of renal biopsy and longitudinal changes in PCR, respectively. Results: The median PCR was 1061 mg/g, and it increased on average by 68.82 mg/g per year in these patients. Among patients with renal insufficiency, compared with patients without relative lesions, those with E present (E1) (1153.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 188.99-2117.89 mg/g) and C > 0 (C1/2) (1063.58; 95% CI, 185.25-1941.90 mg/g) were associated with increased PCR levels at the time of renal biopsy. What's more, S present (S1) (194.96; 95% CI, 54.50-335.43 mg/g per year) was associated with the fastest PCR increase; C > 0 (C1/2) (147.59; 95% CI, 8.32-286.86 mg/g per year) and T >25% (T1/2) (77.04; 95% CI, 7.18-146.89 mg/g per year), were also correlated with a faster PCR increase. In patients with normal kidney function, associations between S1 (55.46; 95% CI, 8.93-101.99 mg/g per year) and E1 (94.02; 95% CI, 21.47-166.58 mg/g per year) and PCR change could be observed. Additionally, in patients with overweight/obesity, S1 (156.09; 95% CI, 52.41-259.77 mg/g per year), E1 (143.34; 95% CI, 35.30-251.38 mg/g per year), T1/2 (116.04; 95% CI, 22.58-209.51 mg/g per year), as well as C1/2 (134.03; 95% CI, 41.73-226.32 mg/g per year) were associated with noticeably quicker PCR increase. Conclusions: Overall, E1 and C1/2 were independently associated with raised proteinuria levels at the time of renal biopsy, and S1, E1, T1/2, C1/2 were independently associated with a longitudinal increase in proteinuria in the patients with IgAN, especially in those with renal insufficiency or overweight/obesity, suggesting that currently available treatments might not be satisfactory, and weight control might be beneficial. Individual therapy development might benefit from the use of the Oxford Classification system.

Novel Polyaniline-Silver-Sulfur Nanotube Composite as Cathode Material for Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

The preparation and characterization of a polyaniline-silver-sulfur nanotube composite were reported in this paper. The polyaniline-silver nanotube composite was synthesized via an oxidation-reduction method in the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution. After being vulcanized, the polyaniline-silver-sulfur (Poly (AN-Ag-S)) nanotube composite was prepared as active cathode material and assembled into lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with electrolyte and negative electrode materials. When the feed ratio of raw materials (aniline and AgNO3) was 2:1, the initial specific capacity of poly (AN-Ag-S) composite cells reached 1114 mAh/g. The specific capacity was kept at 573 mAh/g, and the capacity retention rate stayed above 51% after 100 cycles. The introduction of Ag into the composite cathode material can effectively solve the poor conductivity of sulfur and improve the Li-S battery performance.

Exhausting T Cells During HIV Infection May Improve the Prognosis of Patients with COVID-19.

T-cell reduction is an important characteristic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and its immunopathology is a subject of debate. It may be due to the direct effect of the virus on T-cell exhaustion or indirectly due to T cells redistributing to the lungs. HIV/AIDS naturally served as a T-cell exhaustion disease model for recognizing how the immune system works in the course of COVID-19. In this study, we collected the clinical charts, T-lymphocyte analysis, and chest CT of HIV patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection who were admitted to Jin Yin-tan Hospital (Wuhan, China). The median age of the 21 patients was 47 years [interquartile range (IQR) = 40-50 years] and the median CD4 T-cell count was 183 cells/µl (IQR = 96-289 cells/µl). Eleven HIV patients were in the non-AIDS stage and 10 were in the AIDS stage. Nine patients received antiretroviral treatment (ART) and 12 patients did not receive any treatment. Compared to the reported mortality rate (nearly 4%-10%) and severity rate (up to 20%-40%) among COVID-19 patients in hospital, a benign duration with 0% severity and mortality rates was shown by 21 HIV/AIDS patients. The severity rates of COVID-19 were comparable between non-AIDS (median CD4 = 287 cells/µl) and AIDS (median CD4 = 97 cells/µl) patients, despite some of the AIDS patients having baseline lung injury stimulated by HIV: 7 patients (33%) were mild (five in the non-AIDS group and two in the AIDS group) and 14 patients (67%) were moderate (six in the non-AIDS group and eight in the AIDS group). More importantly, we found that a reduction in T-cell number positively correlates with the serum levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP), which is contrary to the reported findings on the immune response of COVID-19 patients (lower CD4 T-cell counts with higher levels of IL-6 and CRP). In HIV/AIDS, a compromised immune system with lower CD4 T-cell counts might waive the clinical symptoms and inflammatory responses, which suggests lymphocyte redistribution as an immunopathology leading to lymphopenia in COVID-19.