Background
Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that is characterized by extremely itchy nodules. Proadrenomedullin N‐terminal 20 (PAMP) activates mast cell degranulation ...via Mas‐related G protein‐coupled receptor X2 (MRGPRX2), which is associated with pruritus in allergic contact dermatitis. However, the mechanisms underlying the action of PAMP and MRGPRX2 in PN remain unclear.
Objective
To determine the role of PAMP‐induced mast cell activation via MRGPRX2 (mouse homologous Mrgprb2) in PN.
Methods
The expression of PAMP and the number of MRGPRX2‐expressing mast cells in the skin biopsies of patients with PN, atopic dermatitis (AD), and healthy participants were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, respectively. The biphasic response of PAMP9‐20 mediated by Mrgprb2 in mouse peritoneal mast cells (PMC) was validated in vitro using qRT‐PCR, ELISA, flow cytometry, and siRNA techniques.
Results
PAMP expression and the number of MRGPRX2+ mast cells in lesional PN skin, but not in AD, were elevated compared to healthy skin. PAMP9‐20 mediates the immediate and delayed phase responses of PMC, such as degranulation, histamine and β‐hexosaminidase release, and secretion of inflammatory factors such as CCL2, TNF‐α, and GM‐CSF. These effects were inhibited when Mrgprb2 expression was silenced. Silencing Mrgprb2 did not affect the biphasic response of PMC that was induced by IgE‐FcεRI activation.
Conclusions
The results show that PAMP mediates mouse mast cell activation via Mrgprb2, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of PN. The PAMP/ Mrgprb2 pathway, independent of classical IgE signaling, could be developed as a candidate drug target for treating PN.
Adipocytokine leptin promotes hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation (a key step in liver fibrogenesis) and liver fibrosis. microRNA-122 (miR-122) is the most abundant liver-specific miRNA and was ...demonstrated to inhibit liver fibrosis and reduced HSC proliferation. Our previous study revealed that leptin reduced miR-122 level in HSCs. This study was aimed to investigate whether leptin affected miR-122 promoter and the underlying mechanisms in HSCs. Results showed that leptin inhibited miR-122 promoter activity. Forkhead box protein O1(FoxO1) bound to miR-122 promoter at a site around – 56 and thus promoted miR-122 promoter activity, which could be suppressed by leptin-induced phosphorylation of FoxO1 at serine 256. The PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was involved in leptin-induced phosphorylation of FoxO1 and the effect of leptin on miR-122 expression. Furthermore, FoxO1 increased miR-122 and pri-miR-122 (primary miR-122) levels in HSCs in vivo, and reduced leptin-induced HSC activation and liver fibrosis in ob/ob mouse (leptin deficient) model. In conclusion, leptin suppressed microRNA-122 expression by PI3K/Akt/foxO1 axis in HSCs. These results have potential implications for clarifying the mechanisms for liver fibrogenesis in obese patients with hyperleptinaemia.
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•Leptin inhibits miR-122 promoter activity in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs).•FoxO1 binds to miR-122 promoter and promotes miR-122 promoter activity.•PI3K/Akt mediates the effects of leptin on FoxO1 phosphorylation and miR-122 levels.•FoxO1 increases miR-122 level and reduces leptin roles in HSC and liver fibrosis.
•Fatigue performance of repaired Al alloy is recovered to original state.•The bonding mode was transformed from mechanical bonding to metallurgical bonding.•Massive Al2O3 reinforcements of nano/micro ...size were formed in the coating.•Laser shock peening is used to optimise the residual stress distribution.
The cold spray (CS) process has been demonstrated to be an attractive additive manufacturing technology for the development of freeforms and coatings from temperature-sensitive materials. However, owing to the lower bonding strength and inhomogeneous residual stress field distribution, the fatigue performance of CS deposition cannot satisfy the requirements of numerous engineering conditions. This study proposes a novel and promising approach to recover the fatigue performance of CS-repaired Al alloy components using two laser beam modulations. In the treatment, a millisecond laser is used during the CS process to heat the impact location in situ, by which the bonding mode is transformed from mechanical bonding to metallurgical bonding, and massive Al2O3 reinforcements of nano/micro size are formed in the coating. Thus, the bonding strength is significantly improved. Next, another nanosecond laser is used as a post-treatment to act on the area except the repaired region of the sample, which optimised the residual stress distribution around the repaired zone by the mechanical effects of the laser-induced ultra-high shock waves. Through the combination of these two lasers, the fatigue performance of CS-repaired Al alloy samples is successfully restored to its original condition. This study demonstrates that this compound process of CS technology and laser processing presents a wide range of possibilities for further development of advanced repair technology.
Objectives
To investigate the sonographic features in Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma (Xp11.2 tRCC) using both conventional ultrasound (US) and contrast‐enhanced US (CEUS) and evaluate the ...usefulness of sonographic imaging characteristics to differentiate between Xp11.2 tRCC and the three common RCC subtypes.
Methods
Thirty‐four adult Xp11.2 tRCC patients who preoperatively underwent both conventional US and CEUS and had solitary renal lesions and pathological confirmation after surgery were enrolled. Control matched patients included 131 with clear cell RCC (ccRCC), 48 with papillary RCC (pRCC), and 35 with chromophobe RCC (chRCC). Conventional US and CEUS data of all patients were retrospectively analyzed and compared.
Results
Xp11.2 tRCC was more common in young women. The echogenicity of Xp11.2 tRCC lesions was hypo‐ and isoechoic relative to the adjacent renal cortex. A higher frequency of calcification within tumors was detected in Xp11.2 tRCC, but the presence of color flow signal (26.5%, 9/34) was much lower. Regarding CEUS features relative to the adjacent renal cortex, synchronous wash‐in (61.8%, 21/34), iso‐enhancement at peak (55.9%, 19/34), and fast wash‐out (50.0%, 17/34) were more common in Xp11.2 tRCC. Moreover, an integrated variables model based on these features could differentiate Xp11.2 tRCC from ccRCC, pRCC, and chRCC (area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity: 0.934, 92.0%, and 86.0%; 0.907, 88.0%, and 87.0%; and 0.808, 65.0%, and 99.0%, respectively).
Conclusions
Combining conventional US and CEUS lesion features with clinical information may provide a feasible and effective method to differentiate Xp11.2 tRCC from ccRCC, pRCC, and chRCC.
Background
In 2015, a Chinese expert consensus on photopatch testing (PPT) was established, based on European consensus methodology.
Objectives
To update current information on the prevalence of ...photoallergic contact dermatitis (PACD) to 20 photoallergens and their clinical relevance in the Chinese context.
Methods
A retrospective analysis of 2372 patients who performed PPT in a tertiary referral center in China between 2015 and 2019 was completed.
A total of 1208 PACD reactions were observed in 897 (37.8%) patients, and 413 reactions were of current or past relevance.
Results
The proportion of reactions of current or past relevance was 34.2%. The most frequent photoallergens were chlorpromazine, thimerosal, potassium dichromate, and formaldehyde. The ultraviolet absorbers, benzophenone and Para‐aminobenzoic acid, showed opposite gender distribution to PACD. Twenty‐five patients (1.9%) developed PACD reactions to a newly added photoallergen preparation – fragrance mix I. Patients with chronic actinic dermatitis, widespread exposed‐site or generalized dermatitis, and older age were more likely to have PACD.
Conclusions
This study is the first to profile PACD reactions with clinical relevance in China. The prevalence of PACD to culprit photoallergens was affected by regional peculiarities. Attention needs to be paid to the age, body‐site distribution, and known diagnoses of patients for the identification of PACD.
Background
Low‐and‐middle‐income countries (LMICs) face a crisis with a higher prevalence of dementia and cognitive impairment. It is projected that 68% of dementia cases worldwide will reside in ...LMICs in 2050. This differential risk is exacerbated by social and environmental determinants of health (SEDOH) and in settings with war, class division, and terrorism. There is no dementia research being conducted within these LMIC settings.
Methods
Data from three cross‐sectional fieldwork studies was used. In South Africa, 227 adults were from two wards of Thulani and Doornkop (11/11/19‐2/28/20). In Afghanistan, 478 adults were from 43 villages of Badakhshan and Ghazni provinces (2/15/22‐4/20/22). In Pakistan, 817 adults were from 43 villages of Punjab and Sindh provinces (4/22/22‐7/7/22). We examined the relationship between dementia and SEDOH via multidimensional poverty among adults ≥ 50 years of age adjusting for sex, marital status, age, and household size.
Results
In South Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, respectively, men were more likely to be dementia‐free (32.1%, 60.8%, 65.49%) than women (24.7%, 32.5%, 34.51%). Across all countries, a higher proportion of older adults with moderate‐to‐severe dementia lived alone without a partner. In South Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, adults with moderate‐to‐severe dementia were significantly more deprived of education, health status, and employment and were more often distressed, compared to adults without dementia in each country. The risk of dementia was higher for multidimensionally poor older adults. In South Africa, the odds of dementia were 2.31X (95%CI, 1.08‐4.95) for those who were multidimensionally poor. In Afghanistan, it was 10.2X higher (95% CI,1.97‐52.62) for poor adults ≥ 70 years. In Pakistan, there was a 5.02X higher risk (95% CI, 2.07‐12.16) for poor older adults at age ≥ 50 years.
Conclusion
The prevalence and depth of poverty were greater among older adults with dementia. A lack of education, poor health, and psychosocial distress are major dimensions of poverty associated with higher dementia risk. More importantly, dementia risk was significantly higher for women in all three countries compared to men. These findings support improvement in SEDOH through targeted structural policies, particularly for quality and free education and healthcare, to prevent dementia in later life.
A method combining ion-beam sputtering deposition with post-annealing was proposed to prepare electrochromic WO3 thin films. It was observed that the intensity of oxygen deficiency phases can be ...controlled by adjusting the post-annealing temperature and time. It was also observed that as-prepared WO3 films exhibit excellent optical modulations up to 78-87%. With the increasing of oxygen deficiency intensity, the optical modulation increases accordingly. Further, the electrochromic mechanism of WO3 films was also discussed.
Background and significance: Zero Hunger as the second Sustainable Development Goal builds crucial foundation to achieve other sustainable development goals and is a key approach to the Social Work ...Grand Challenges. In China, there is a huge gap between in nutritional well-being between urban and rural children. Among all the rural Children, ethnic minority children often live in the poverty-stricken regions have parents work away in urban regions. Their nutritional well-being is understudied. Improve the well-being of ethnic minorities children with work-away parents and closing the nutrition gaps of the rural and urban become the key for China to further achieve SDGs. Methods: This dissertation utilized mixed methods to provide an in-depth understanding of environmental factors and care systems around ethnic minority children with work-away parents in resource-poor regions. I started with a focused ethnography using participatory tools and then employed a positive deviance approach to conduct case studies on children who displayed positive behaviors in the community to explore the strategies families with work-away parents could use to strengthen the food security and well-being of children in resource-poor regions. Qualitative data were input into NVivo to conduct thematic analysis. Binary analyses were conducted on the difference of dietary diversity and frequency scores of children of different demographic factors. Results: This study shows that the harsh natural condition, remote geographic location, and, most importantly, the Hukou policies that bind people to this challenging land are the foremost factors that have made upland F township a food insecure zone. Migration is the key strategy families use to accumulate sufficient wealth to eventually move out of food insecure zones and out of poverty. Grandparents utilized all the resources available in the upland regions and saved money for their families. Depending on the family’s socioeconomic status and social network, parents tried to increase the dietary diversity of children through earning extra income and designating adults to purchase food for their families in remote regions. Food-related parenting skills, such as controlling snack intake through controlling pocket money, exposed children to healthier snacks are also crucial in forming the children’s healthy dietary behaviors.Implications and conclusions. To further improve the well-being of marginalized ethnic minority children, the foremost action is to correct unjust migration policies and programs and to support family union and mobility. In the process of achieving large political and economic transformations, distant parenting support programs and old age care should be provided to the families with work-away parents and nutritional programs should be further strengthened in the schools in resource-poor regions.
PurposeRefugees with disabilities are extremely vulnerable, yet little is known about their needs and barriers to achieve better wellbeing. This scoping review aims to synthesize published research ...on experiences among refugees with disabilities to identify gaps and priorities to inform future research and action plans amid the global refugee crisis.MethodWe searched 15 databases and included articles published in English between 2000 and 2022. Studies were included if they were empirically based peer-reviewed studies with a focus on disabled refugees and asylum seekers. Articles were excluded if they were: (a) review studies, (b) solely focused on mental health issues, (c) focused on non-refugee populations, (d) medical-related topics. Studies were each reviewed independently by two researchers. Data from the included articles were charted, interpreted, and synthesized.ResultsWe identified 34 relevant studies. Findings indicate that refugees with disabilities have diverse needs, including education, healthcare, employment, social benefits, and social connections and social acceptance. However, systematic barriers, such as discrimination at both policy and interpersonal levels, legal issues, and poverty, prevent these needs from being met.DiscussionThis scoping review demonstrates the lack of sufficient and appropriate resources and services catering to the diverse needs of refugees with disabilities. Further quantitative and/or mixed-method research is needed to generate large-scale policy intervention. Future policies and programs should focus on institutional arrangements and advocacy efforts to facilitate disabled refugees’ access to professional and inclusive healthcare services, with other supportive social services provided.
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