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BackgroundPsoriatic arthritis (PSA) is an inflammatory joint disease associated with psoriasis (PSO) that can be easily missed. Existing PSA screening tools ignore objective serologic indicators. The aim of this study was to develop a disease screening model and the Psoriatic Arthritis Inflammation Index (PSAII) based on serologic data to enhance the efficiency of PSA screening.MethodA total of 719 PSO and PSA patients from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (as training set and test set) and 135 PSO and PSA patients who were seen at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (as external validation set) were selected, 31 indicators for these patients were collected as potential input features for the model. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) was used to identify PSA-related features. Five models of logistic regression (LR), random forest, k-nearest neighbor, gradient augmentation and neural network were developed in the training set using quintuple cross validation. And we developed PSAII based on the results of LASSO regression and weights of logistic model parameters. All performance metrics are derived on the test set and the external validation set.ResultsFive variables were selected to build models, including age, lymphocyte percentage, neutrophil count, eosinophilic count, and C-reactive protein. In all established models, the LR model performed the best, with an Area Under Curve (AUC) of 0.87 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.83-0.90) on the test set; on the external validation set the AUC was 0.82 (95%CI: 0.74-0.90). The PSAII formula was PSAII = percentage of lymphocytes × C-reactive protein/(neutrophil count × eosinophilic count × 10). The AUC of PSAII in the test is 0.93 (95%CI: 0.88-0.97), and the cutoff value is 18. The AUC of the external validation set is 0.81 (95%CI: 0.72-0.89).ConclusionsThis study developed and validated five models to assist screening for PSA by analyzing serum data from NHANES and Chinese populations. The LR model demonstrated the best performance. We created PSAII for PSA screening. However, the high false positive rate of PSAII makes it necessary to combine it with other PSA screening tools when applied.

BackgroundPostherpetic itch (PHI) is an easily overlooked complication of herpes zoster that greatly affects patients' quality of life. Studies have shown that early intervention can reduce the occurrence of itch. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a predictive model through a machine learning approach to identify patients at risk of developing PHI among patients with herpes zoster, making PHI prevention a viable clinical option.MethodWe conducted a retrospective review of 488 hospitalized patients with herpes zoster at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University and classified according to whether they had PHI. Fifty indicators of these participants were collected as potential input features for the model. Features associated with PHI were identified for inclusion in the model using the least absolute shrinkage selection operator (LASSO). Divide all the data into five pieces, and then use each piece as a verification set and the others as a training set for training and verification, this process is repeated 100 times. Five models, logistic regression, random forest (RF), k-nearest neighbor, gradient boosting decision tree and neural network, were built in the training set using machine learning methods, and the performance of these models was evaluated in the test set.ResultsSeven non-zero characteristic variables from the Lasso regression results were selected for inclusion in the model, including age, moderate pain, time to recovery from rash, diabetes, severe pain, rash on the head and face, and basophil ratio. The RF model performs better than other models. On the test set, the AUC of the RF model is 0.84 [(95% confidence interval (CI): 0.80–0.88], an accuracy of 0.78 (95% CI: 0.69–0.86), a precision of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.45–0.77), a recall of 0.73 (95% CI: 0.58–0.89), and a specificity of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.70–0.89).ConclusionsIn this study, five machine learning methods were used to build postherpetic itch risk prediction models by analyzing historical case data, and the optimal model was selected through comparative analysis, with the random forest model being the top performing model.

Psoriasis is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease and has been increasing year by year. It is linked to other serious illnesses, such as psoriatic arthritis, cardiometabolic syndrome, and depression, resulting in a notable decrease in the quality of life for patients. Existing therapies merely alleviate symptoms, rather than providing a cure. An in-depth under-standing of the pathogenesis of psoriasis is helpful to discover new therapeutic targets and develop effective novel therapeutic agents, so it has important clinical significance. This article reviews the new progress in the study of pathogenesis and natural products of psoriasis in recent years. These natural products were summarized, mainly classified as terpenoids, polyphenols and alkaloids. However, the translation of experimental results to the clinic takes a long way to go.

BackgroundThe relationship between plaque psoriasis and both MASLD and lean MASLD has not been sufficiently explored in the current literature.MethodThis retrospective and observational study was carried out from January 2021 to January 2023 at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University. Patients diagnosed with plaque psoriasis and a control group consisting of individuals undergoing routine physical examinations were enrolled. The incidence of MASLD and lean MASLD among these groups was compared. Additionally, patients with plaque psoriasis were divided into those with MASLD, those with lean MASLD, and a control group with only psoriasis for a serological comparative analysis.ResultsThe incidence of MASLD in the observation group and the control group was 43.67% (69/158) and 22.15% (35/158), respectively (p

There are many potential immunotherapeutic targets for cancer immunotherapy, which should be assessed for efficacy before they enter clinical trials. Here we established an ex vivo cultured patient-derived tumor tissue model to evaluate antitumor effectiveness of one VISTA inhibitor, given that our previous study showed that VISTA was selectively highly expressed in human clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tumors. We observed that all the tested patients responded to the anti-VISTA monoclonal antibody as manifested by TNF-α production, but only a small fraction were responders to the anti-PD-1 antibody. Co-blockade of VISTA and PD-1 resulted in a synergistic effect in 20% of RCC patients. Taken together, these findings indicate that this ex vivo tumor slice culture model represents a viable tool to evaluate antitumor efficacies for the inhibitors of immune checkpoints and further supports that VISTA could serve as a promising target for immunotherapy in ccRCC.

This work investigates the role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the browning and regulating the antioxidant defensive system in fresh-cut Chinese water chestnuts. The samples were fumigated with 0, 10, and 15 μl L−1 of H2S and stored at 10°C for 8 days. The results indicated that the H2S treatment significantly inhibited the browning of fresh-cut Chinese water chestnuts, reduced superoxide anion (O2·-) production rate and H2O2 content accumulation, promoted the increase of total phenol content, and enhanced activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR) (P < 0.05). On the other hand, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and peroxidase (POD) activities remained at a low level in the H2S treatment (P < 0.05). This result suggested that H2S treatment might be a promising approach to inhibit browning and prolong the shelf life by enhancing oxidation resistance and inhibiting browning enzyme activity of fresh-cut Chinese water chestnuts during storage. Among them, the 15 μl L−1 H2S treatment had the best effect on fresh-cut Chinese water chestnuts.

Background: Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is one of the most common congenital cardiac defects. However, in some cases, VSD sites are difficult to expose due to obstruction from chordal attachments and leaflets of the tricuspid valve (TV). To systematically review the efficacy and safety of tricuspid valve detachment, (TVD) versus conventional surgical repair (non‐TVD) in the treatment of ventricular septal defect (VSD). This article is aimed to compare the many outcomes from existing studies and provide evidence regarding the necessity of performing TVD. Methods: We searched the following databases: PubMed via NCBI, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (no date restriction), Medline via Ovid (from 1966 to May 2020); Embase via Ovid (no date restriction), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure for studies comparing the efficacy of TVD and other surgical techniques in VSD repair. Cardiopulmonary bypass time, Cross‐clamp time; postoperative complications including residual defect, postoperative atrioventricular block, implantation of pacemakers, tricuspid regurgitation; length of stay (LOS), length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay were analyzed. Results: Only nine studies were included after selection, including seven retrospective cohort studies, one respective cohort study, and one prospective observational study, a patient pool of 1404 patients with 374 underwent TVD and 1030 underwent non‐TVD procedures, met the inclusion criteria. Meta analysis has drawn to the following conclusions. First, TVD prolongs CPB time (MD = 7.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.60–12.89, p =.003) and cross‐clamp time (MD = 7.77, 95% CI = 4.76–10.78, p <.001) compared with non‐TVD techniques in VSD repair surgeries. Second, no significant difference exists in LOS, length of ICU stay, postoperative atrioventricular block, implantation of pacemakers, incidence of ≥mild tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR) postoperatively and at discharge, as well as the incidence of ≥small residual VSD after surgery and during follow‐up (all p ＞.05). Third, application of TVD increases the risk of TR during follow‐up (odds ratio [OR] = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.55–3.76, p <.001). Conclusion: VSD closure using TVD technique results in longer CPB and cross‐clamp time, and increases risk of TR during follow‐up. TVD provides equally viable and safe alternative in treating VSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Elucidation of mechanisms underlying continuous training-related atrial fibrillation (AF) may inform formulation of novel therapeutic approaches and training method selection. This study was aimed at assessing mechanisms underlying continuous training-induced AF in an animal model. Methods. Healthy New Zealand rabbits were divided into three groups (n=8 each), namely, control (C), and moderate intensity (M), and high intensity (H) continuous training according to treadmill speed. Atrial size andintrinsic and resting heart rates were measured by transthoracic echocardiography before, and 8 and 12 weeks after training. Using a Langendorff perfusion system, AF was induced by S1S2 stimulation and the induction rate was recorded. Atrial IK1 and IKAch ion current densities were recorded using whole-cell patch-clamp technique in isolated atrial myocytes. Changes in atrial Kir2.1, Kir2.2, Kir3.1, and Kir3.4 mRNA expression were assessed by reverse transcriptase-coupled polymerase chain reaction. Results. After 8 and 12 weeks, Groups M and H vs. Group C had greater (all P<0.05) atrial anteroposterior diameter; greater incidence of AF (60% and 90% vs. 45%, respectively; P<0.05, also between Groups H and M); and greater atrial IKAch current density. In Group H, Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 mRNA expression in the left and right atria was increased (P<0.05, vs. Groups C and M) as was left atrial Kir3.1 and Kir3.4 mRNA expression (P<0.05, vs. Group C). Conclusion. In a rabbit model, continuous training enlarges atrial diameter leading to atrial structural and electrical remodeling and increased AF incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used GC-MS analysis to investigate the co-metabolic degradation pathway for pyrene, a representative member of the PAH family, by the white-rot fungus P. gibbosa. Six intermediate metabolites were detected, namely phenanthrene, fluorene, 4-amino-9-fluorenore, 9,10-anthracenedione, 1,4-naphthalenedione, and phthalic acid, inferring that the degradation of pyrene by P. gibbosa might operate via the phthalic acid degradation pathway. Initially the pyrene ring is split and metabolized into phenanthrene, before transformation into phthalic acid in the presence of oxidase and dehydrogenase enzymes and ultimately to CO2 and H2O via the tricarboxylic acid cycle [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactor structure design plays an important role in the performance of solar-thermal methane reforming reactors. Based on a conventional preheating reactor, this study proposed a cylindrical solar methane reforming reactor with multiple inlets to vary the temperature field distribution, which improved the temperature of the reaction region in the reactor, thereby improving the reactor performance. A multi-physical model that considers mass, momentum, species, energy conservation, as well as thermochemical reaction kinetics of methane reforming, was applied to numerically investigate the reactor performance and analyze the factors that affect performance improvement. It was found that compared with a conventional preheating reactor, the proposed cylindrical reactor with inner and external inlets for gas feeding enhanced heat recovery from the exhausted gas and provided a more suitable temperature field for the reaction in the reactor. Under different operating conditions, the methane conversion in the cylindrical reactor with multi-inlet increased by 9.5% to 19.1%, and the hydrogen production was enhanced by 12.1% to 40.3% in comparison with the conventional design, even though the total reaction catalyst volume was reduced.

When dealing with the complex deformation of free surface such as wave breaking, traditional mesh-based Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods often face problems arising alongside grid distortion and re-meshing. Therefore, the meshless method became robust for treating large displaced free surface and other boundaries caused by moving structures. The particle method, which is an important branch of meshless method, is mainly divided into the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) and Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) methods. Different from the SPH method, which involves continuity and treat density as a variable when building kernel functions, the kernel function in the MPS method is a weight function which treats density as a constant, and the spatial derivatives are discretized by establishing the gradient operator and Laplace operator separately. In other words, the first- or second-order continuity of the kernel functions in the MPS method is not a necessity as in SPH, though it might be desirable. At present, the MPS method has been successfully applied to various violent-free surface flow problems in ocean engineering and diverse applications have been comprehensively demonstrated in a number of review papers. This work will focus on algorithm developments of the MPS method and to provide all perspectives in terms of numerical algorithms along with their pros and cons.

Right atrial appendage aneurysm is an extremely rare cardiac anomaly. With unclear etiology, there is still no standard treatment method. Clinical symptoms and complications are important indicators for surgical resection. A 2-year-old boy without obvious cardiac symptoms was diagnosed with a giant right atrial outpouching arising from the right atrial appendage by computed tomography. The right atrial outpouching measured approximately 95 × 43 mm. Due to its large size and potential impact on function of right atrium and ventricle, the aneurysm was resected in surgery. During the surgery a 105 × 55 mm noncontractile cystic structure was found locating on the right anterior side of the right atrium. No other abnormalities like intracavity thrombus were detected. The patient was discharged five days after surgery. Postoperative recovery was uneventful., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Luo and Yuan.)

Background: Plenty of diseases have been found having associations with blood types, especially cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to clarify whether there is a relationship between blood groups and acute aortic dissection. We also further studied the distribution of blood groups in different types of acute aortic dissection., Methods: A total of 291 patients diagnosed with acute aortic dissection from 2011 to 2018 were enrolled and analyzed retrospectively in this study. The control group consisted of 582 patients who received plastic surgery at West China hospital from 2011 to 2018. First, we analyzed the distribution of blood groups between the study group and the control group, including the ABO, Rh, O and non-O groups. Then, we further divided the study group into two groups by the type of acute aortic dissection to determine if there was difference in blood groups between the two types of acute aortic dissection., Results: The analysis of the distribution of ABO blood groups (p = 0.302) and Rh blood groups (p = 0.502) did not reveal statistically significant differences. There were no statistically significant differences in the distributions of ABO blood groups and Rh blood groups in different types of acute aortic dissection., Conclusions: Our study did not prove the incidence of acute aortic dissection, or the type of acute aortic dissection had a relationship with common blood groups.