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BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease. It is important to study the immunological changes involved in it for diagnosis and treatment. OBJECTIVE: To identify immune-related biomarkers associated with rheumatoid arthritis utilizing bioinformatics techniques and examine alterations in immune cell infiltration as well as the relationship between immune cells and biomarkers. METHODS: Differential expression analysis was used to identify the immune-related genes that were up-regulated in rheumatoid arthritis based on the GEO and Immport databases. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analyses were used to investigate the possible function of these elevated genes. The immunological characteristic genes associated with rheumatoid arthritis were screened using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) and support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE). Independent datasets were used for difference validation, and the diagnostic performance was evaluated by plotting receiver operating characteristic curves for feature genes. Immune cell infiltration was used to analyze the differential profile of immune cells in rheumatoid arthritis and the correlation between the characterized genes and immune cells. In order to ascertain the causal relationship between monocytes and rheumatoid arthritis in immune cells, Mendelian randomization analysis was ultimately employed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There were 39 upregulated differentially expressed genes in rheumatoid arthritis. The genes were primarily enriched in chemotaxis, cytokine activity, and immune receptor activity, according to GO enrichment analysis, while kEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the genes were considerably enriched in the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway and peripheral leukocyte migration. Lasso and SVM-RFE identified five feature genes: CXCL13, SDC1, IGLC1, PLXNC1, and SLC29A3. Independent dataset validation of the feature genes found them to be similarly highly expressed in rheumatoid arthritis samples, with area under the curve values greater than 0.8 for all five feature genes in both datasets. Immune cell infiltration indicated that most immune cells, including natural killer cells and monocytes, exhibited increased levels of infiltration in rheumatoid arthritis samples. The correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between memory B cells and immature B cells and these five feature genes. Correlation analysis showed that the five feature genes were positively correlated with memory B cells and immature B cells. The inverse variance weighting method revealed that monocytes were associated with the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common chronic inflammatory disease that causes damage to joint cartilage and surrounding tissues. Immune cells play an important role in the immune-inflammatory response in knee osteoarthritis, but the specific mechanisms involved are still not fully understood. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential causal relationship between 731 immune cell phenotypes and the risk of knee osteoarthritis using Mendelian randomization. METHODS: Summary statistics of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for 731 immune cell phenotypes (from GCST0001391 to GCST0002121) obtained from the GWAS catalog and GWAS data for knee osteoarthritis from the IEUGWAS database (ebi-a-GCST007090) were used. Inverse variance-weighted method, MR-Egger regression, weighted median method, weighted mode method, and simple mode method were employed to investigate the causal relationship between immune cells and knee osteoarthritis. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the reliability of the Mendelian randomization results. Reverse Mendelian randomization analysis was also performed using the same methods. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The forward MR analysis indicated significant causal relationships (FDR < 0.20) between knee osteoarthritis and four immune cell phenotypes, namely CD27 on CD24+CD27+ in B cells (OR=1.026, P=0.000 26, Pfdr=0.18), CD33 on CD33dim HLA DR- in myeloid cells (OR=1.014, P=0.000 50, Pfdr=0.18), and CD45RA+CD28-CD8br %CD8br in Treg cells (OR=1.001, P=0.000 78, Pfdr=0.18), and PDL-1 on monocytes in mononuclear cells (OR=0.952, P=0.000 98, Pfdr=0.18). These immune cell phenotypes showed direct positive or negative causal associations with the risk of knee osteoarthritis. Reverse Mendelian randomization analysis revealed no significant causal relationships (FDR < 0.20) between knee osteoarthritis as exposure and any of the 731 immune cell phenotypes. The results of sensitivity analysis show that the P-values of the Cochran’s Q test and the MR-Egger regression method for bidirectional Mendelian randomization were both greater than 0.05, indicating that there is no significant heterogeneity and pleiotropy in the causal effect analysis between immune cell phenotypes and knee osteoarthritis. To conclude, there may be four potential causal relationships between immune cell phenotypes, such as CD27 on CD24+CD27+ cells, CD33 on CD33dim HLA DR- cells, CD45RA+CD28-CD8br %CD8br cells, and PDL-1 on monocytes, and knee osteoarthritis. These findings provide valuable clues for studying the biological mechanisms of knee osteoarthritis and exploring early prevention and treatment strategies. They also offer new directions for the development of intervention drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effects of alprostadil injection in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer. METHODS: The Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang Data and VIP databases were retrieved to collect the randomized controlled trial of alprostadil injection in the adjuvant treatment of diabetic foot ulcer (the control group received routine treatment of diabetes foot, and the observation group received alprostadil injection on the basis of routine treatment, regardless of whether it was combined with other drugs). The retrieval time was from the establishment of the database to Dec. 2023. Meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5. 3 statistical software. RESULTS: According to the literature selection criteria, 18 articles were finally included. Compared with the control group, patients in the observation group had higher total effectiveness (OR = 5. 79, 95%CI = 3. 88-8. 64, P<0. 000 01), faster flow velocity of dorsalis pedis artery (SMD= 0. 96, 95%CI = 0. 59-1. 33, P<0. 000 01), larger internal diameter of dorsalis pedis vessels (SMD= 0. 73, 95%CI = 0. 44-1. 01, P<0. 000 01), faster conduction velocity of superficial peroneal nerve (SMD= 2. 66, 95%CI = 1. 15-4. 16, P = 0. 000 5), smaller foot ulcer (SMD = -3. 42, 95%CI = -6. 40--0. 44, P = 0. 02), higher resistance index (SMD= 1. 20, 95%CI = 0. 16-2. 24, P= 0. 02), higher beat index (SMD= 2. 23, 95%CI = 0. 36-4. 11, P = 0. 02), better improvement of pain (SMD = -11. 68, 95%CI = -20. 21--3. 15, P = 0. 007), numbness (SMD= -19. 41, 95%CI = -29. 00--9. 81, P<0. 000 1), lameness (SMD= -14. 10, 95%CI = -22. 26--5. 94, P= 0. 000 7) and other symptoms, with statistically significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: Alprostadil injection in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer can improve the total therapeutic effect, dilate the dorsalis pedis artery, accelerate the blood flow rate of dorsalis pedis artery, reduce blood resistance, promote the healing of ulcer surface, and improve the clinical symptoms of patients, which is worthy of clinical promotion and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Rapid developments in the field of bioinformatics have provided new methods for the diagnosis of osteoarthritis. Artificial neural networks have powerful data computing and classification capabilities, which have shown better performance in disease diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: To establish a new diagnostic predictive model of osteoarthritis based on artificial neural network and to verify the diagnostic value of the model in osteoarthritis with an external dataset. METHODS: The eligible osteoarthritis-related data sets were downloaded through GEO database search and divided into Train group and Test group. The gene expression matrix of the Train group was analyzed to screen the differentially expressed genes. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed on the differentially expressed genes. Through Lasso regression model, support vector machine model and random forest tree model, the key genes of osteoarthritis were further identified from the differentially expressed genes. The R software “Neuralnet” package was then used to construct the osteoarthritis diagnosis model based on artificial neural network, and the model performance was evaluated by the five-fold cross-validation. Two independent data sets in the Test group were used to verify their diagnostic results. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A total of 90 differentially expressed genes related to osteoarthritis were obtained by differential analysis, of which 33 were downregulated and 57 were up-regulated. GO enrichment analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in the following biological processes, including leukocyte-mediated immunity, leukocyte migration in bone marrow and chemokine production. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that these genes were mainly enriched in rheumatoid arthritis, interleukin-17 signaling pathway and osteoclast differentiation pathway. Five key genes for the diagnosis of osteoarthritis, HMGB2, GADD45A, SLC19A2, TPPP3 and FOLR2, were identified by three machine learning methods. The artificial neural network model of five key genes in the Train group showed that the accuracy was 96.36% and the area under the curve was 0.997. The five-fold cross validation of the neural network model showed that the average area under the curve was greater than 0.9 and the model was of robustness. Two independent data sets in the Test group showed its area under the curve was 0.814 and 0.788 respectively. Therefore, the establishment of an artificial neural network model for the diagnosis of osteoarthritis has a certain diagnostic value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This year marks the 50th anniversary of former US President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China and the issuance of Shanghai Communiqué. Over the past half a century, the China-US relationship has kept moving forward despite twists and turns, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the world. Today’s world is of intertwined interests and a shared future. China and the United States have common interests and shared responsibilities. Cooperation is the only right choice. However, the US has got involved in issues related to China’s core interests, promoted “integrated deterrence” against China, accelerated the decoupling by building “a small yard with high fences,” and interfered with people-to-people exchanges in science and education. These moves are not helping the bilateral relations back on track. The United States must abandon the Cold War mentality, and choose dialogue over confrontation, cooperation over conflict, openness over seclusion, and integration over decoupling. Both sides should follow the principle of mutual respect as the premise to development of bilateral relations, stick to peaceful coexistence as the bottom line, and focus on win-win cooperation as the key, to overcome difficulties, rebuild trust, and bring more stability and certainty to a turbulent and fluid world in building a human community with a shared future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Piezoelectrics & Acoustooptics is the property of Piezoelectric & Acoustooptic and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of China Plastics / Zhongguo Suliao is the property of Journal Office of CHINA PLASTICS and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has always been a great threat to public health, and about 2 billion people in the world have the history of HBV infection. Chronic HBV infection can lead to chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma. At present, nucleoside analogues (NAs) and interferons (IFNs) have been approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B in China. Long-term use of NAs has good safety and tolerability and can effectively inhibit viral replication and reduce the risk of liver-related complications, but there are still the issues such as long and uncertain course of treatment, risk of drug resistance, and recurrence after drug withdrawal. IFNs have severe side effects with limited seroconversion and cure rate. Therefore, the research and development of new antiviral drugs with different targets of HBV is of vital importance for the treatment of chronic HBV infection. This article summarizes the research advances in anti-HBV drugs with different targets, so as to provide a reference for clinical and research work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Knee valgus deformity is often accompanied by bone and soft tissue changes. There are many treatments, such as distal femoral varus osteotomy, supracondylar acetabular osteotomy, total knee arthroplasty, which can correct valgus deformity and restore the normal mechanical axis of lower limbs. Its advantages, disadvantages and indications are different, and corresponding treatment methods should be selected according to the specific conditions of different patients. OBJECTIVE: To review the research progress of various surgical methods for treating genu valgus deformity at home and abroad in recent years. METHODS: A computer-based search was conducted in PubMed and CNKI databases from January 2000 to December 2018 with the keywords of “knee joint, valgus deformity, distal femoral varus osteotomy, supracondylar dome osteotomy, total knee arthroplasty, surgery, treatment” in English and Chinese, respectively. A total of 247 relevant literatures were retrieved, and 47 articles were eligible for the inclusion criteria. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Valgus deformity is often associated with some characteristic changes in bone and soft tissue. There are a variety of treatments, for example, distal femoral varus osteotomy, supraorbital iliac crest osteotomy, total knee arthroplasty. They can correct valgus deformity and restore the normal mechanical axis of the lower extremities. Their advantages and disadvantages and indications are different, so different patients should choose appropriate treatment according to the severity of deformity, length of disease history, age and so on. (2) Distal femoral varus osteotomy is suitable for young people and can effectively prevent or delay the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis. There are many kinds of internal fixators for osteotomy, such as Ilizarov external fixator, Puddu plate, Tomofix plate and intramedullary nail, which have their advantages and disadvantages. (3) However, for patients with knee valgus who have already developed intra-articular diseases, the effect of simple distal femoral varus osteotomy is often unsatisfactory. Supracondylar acetabular osteotomy combined with arthroscopy can effectively solve this problem. (4) Total knee arthroplasty is often the best choice for patients with advanced knee arthritis. According to the severity and pathological changes of valgus deformity of the knee joint, the operative approach of total knee replacement is decided. For patients with abnormal patellar track and severe lateral structural contracture, the lateral approach is used and the medial approach is used instead. The choice of prosthesis is also very important, which directly affects the curative effect and life span after operation. The internal and external soft tissue imbalance restores the articular force line by releasing the balance, but the specific soft tissue release strategy is still controversial. The joint and soft tissue of the patient should be considered comprehensively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Liquid Crystal & Displays is the property of Chinese Journal of Liquid Crystal & Displays and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research / Zhongguo Zuzhi Gongcheng Yanjiu is the property of Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research / Zhongguo Zuzhi Gongcheng Yanjiu is the property of Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Liquid Crystal & Displays is the property of Chinese Journal of Liquid Crystal & Displays and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)