The interaction between a leflunomide-response methylation site (cg17330251) and variant (rs705379) on response to leflunomide in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: This research aims to reveal the mechanisms of the effect of the Paraoxonase 1 () gene on response to leflunomide (LEF) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, in terms of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), DNA methylation levels.

Methods: A total of 240 RA patients enrolled were categorized into the good response group and the non-response group according to the difference in DAS28 scores between baseline and 6 months after LEF administration. The identified LEF-response cytosine-phosphate-guanines (CpGs) island (cg17330251) and its internal SNPs (rs705379, etc.

Body weight-range based initial dosing of ustekinumab in Crohn's disease: Is it an ideal approach?

Background & Aims: The initial intravenous dose of ustekinumab (UST) for treating Crohn's disease (CD) is recommended based on body weight ranges for clinical convenience. However, patients whose body weight nears the upper threshold may receive a relatively lower dose (<6 mg/kg) based on current dosage calculations. We aimed to investigate whether the body weight-range based dosing calculation method for UST may lead to suboptimal therapeutic doses and then impact effectiveness, particularly in patients with borderline weight.

A rare case report: Myopathy related to the interaction between azathioprine and infliximab in the treatment of ulcerative colitis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Key Clinical Message: Administering azathioprine or infliximab for UC and AS treatment carries a significant risk of adverse reactions. Here, we present the case diagnosed with UC and AS, who received treatment with azathioprine and infliximab for 10 months, and subsequently developed drug-induced myopathy affecting the right vastus medialis muscle.

Abstract: Drug-induced myopathy is an uncommon form of muscle injury that can arise in patients without preexisting muscle conditions when exposed to therapeutic doses of certain medications.

Effects of Microtopography on Soil Microbial Community Structure and Abundance in Permafrost Peatlands.

Soil microorganisms play crucial roles in the stability of the global carbon pool, particularly in permafrost peatlands that are highly sensitive to climate change. Microtopography is a unique characteristic of peatland ecosystems, but how microtopography affects the microbial community structures and their functions in the soil is only partially known. We characterized the bacterial and fungal community compositions by amplicon sequencing and their abundances via quantitative PCR at different soil depths in three microtopographical positions (hummocks, flats, and hollows) in permafrost peatland of the Greater Xing'an Mountains in China.

Sema4D as a biomarker for Predicting rheumatoid arthritis disease activity.

Objective: The semaphorins are membrane or secreted proteins first identified in neural development. Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) is the first family member found to have immune properties. We evaluated the potential of Sema4D as a marker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity, singly and in combination with other known biomarkers including rheumatoid factor (RF) and C-reactive protein (CRP).

Comparative effectiveness of ustekinumab vs. vedolizumab for anti-TNF-naïve or anti-TNF-exposed Crohn's disease: a multicenter cohort study.

Background: Ustekinumab and vedolizumab are both effective for treating Crohn's disease (CD). However, no head-to-head trials have been conducted thus far. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of ustekinumab and vedolizumab in CD patients either naïve or exposed to tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors (TNFi).

The prognostic value of whole-genome DNA methylation in response to Leflunomide in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: Although Leflunomide (LEF) is effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there are still a considerable number of patients who respond poorly to LEF treatment. Till date, few LEF efficacy-predicting biomarkers have been identified. Herein, we explored and developed a DNA methylation-based predictive model for LEF-treated RA patient prognosis.

Variations in soil microbial community structure and extracellular enzymatic activities along a forest-wetland ecotone in high-latitude permafrost regions.

Permafrost degradation by global warming is expected to alter the hydrological processes, which results in changes in vegetation species composition and gives rise to community succession. Ecotones are sensitive transition areas between ecosystem boundaries, attract particular interest due to their ecological importance and prompt responses to the environmental variables. However, the characteristics of soil microbial communities and extracellular enzymes along the forest-wetland ecotone in high-latitude permafrost region remain poorly understood.

Effects of Empagliflozin on Gut Microbiota in Heart Failure with a Preserved Ejection Fraction: The Design of a Pragmatic Randomized, Open-Label Controlled Trial (EMPAGUM).

Although empagliflozin has been recommended for individuals with heart failure, its effects on heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remain uncertain from a physiopathological standpoint. The metabolites produced by gut microbiota have been shown to have a crucial role in the development of heart failure. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2) have been shown to change the make-up of the gut microbiota in rodent studies.

Prognostic value of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) metabolic genes in patients with stomach adenocarcinoma based on bioinformatics analysis.

Background: Because stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) has a poor prognosis, it is necessary to explore new prognostic genes to stratify patients to guide existing individualized treatments.

Methods: Survival and clinical information, RNA-seq data and mutation data of STAD were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Fifty-one nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) metabolism-related genes (NMRGs) were obtained from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Reactome databases.

Diversity and Distribution Characteristics of Soil Microbes across Forest-Peatland Ecotones in the Permafrost Regions.

Permafrost peatlands are a huge carbon pool that is uniquely sensitive to global warming. However, despite the importance of peatlands in global carbon sequestration and biogeochemical cycles, few studies have characterized the distribution characteristics and drivers of soil microbial community structure in forest-peatland ecotones. Here, we investigated the vertical distribution patterns of soil microbial communities in three typical peatlands along an environmental gradient using Illumina high-throughput sequencing.

Clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous warts (2022).

Aim: Cutaneous warts caused by human papillomavirus are benign proliferative lesions that occur at any ages in human lives. Updated, comprehensive and systematic evidence-based guidelines to guide clinical practice are urgently needed.

Methods: We collaborated with multidisciplinary experts to formulate this guideline based on evidences of already published literature, focusing on 13 clinical questions elected by a panel of experts.

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in Stanford Type B Aortic Dissection Is Associated With Multiple Imaging Signs Related to Late Aortic Events.

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is highly prevalent in patients with Stanford type B aortic dissection (TBAD). Few studies have evaluated the effects of OSA on vascular changes in TBAD patients. This study aimed to explore the effect of OSA on aortic morphological changes in TBAD patients and its relation to late aortic events (LAEs).

Machine learning to identify immune-related biomarkers of rheumatoid arthritis based on WGCNA network.

Objectives: This study was designed to identify the potential diagnostic biomarkers of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to explore the potential pathological relevance of immune cell infiltration in this disease.

Methods: Three previously published datasets containing gene expression data from 35 RA patients and 29 controls (GSE55235, GSE55457, and GSE12021) were downloaded from the GEO database, after which a weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) approach was utilized to clarify differentially abundant genes. Candidate biomarkers of RA were then identified via the use of a LASSO regression model and support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) analyses.

Development and validation of a nomogram for predicting stroke risk in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

We developed and validated a nomogram to predict the risk of stroke in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in northern China. Out of six machine learning algorithms studied to improve diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of the prediction model, the logistic regression algorithm showed high performance in terms of calibration and decision curve analysis. The nomogram included stratifications of sex, age, systolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol along with the history of traditional risk factors such as hypertensive, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, and coronary heart disease.

Systematic analysis of the molecular mechanisms of methotrexate therapy for rheumatoid arthritis using text mining.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the expression of related genes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with methotrexate (MTX), to identify hub genes, and to systematically analyse the functions, pathways, and networks of these genes.

Methods: The PubMed identifiers (PMIDs) of relevant publications were obtained from the PubMed database, and gene data were extracted from these documents using the text mining software PubTator. The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) was used to obtain enriched Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway information.

Quality of life and influencing factors of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Northeast China.

Purpose: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease with a high disability rate, resulting in severe family and social burden. The aim of treatment is to improve the health-related quality of life (QoL) of patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the QoL of patients with RA in Northeast China and analyze its influencing factors.

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict coronary heart disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in northern China.

We developed and validated a nomogram to predict coronary heart disease (CHD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in northern China. We analyzed a cohort of RA patients admitted to the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University from 2011 to 2017. To select a high-performance model for clinical data prediction, we evaluated the F1-scores of six machine learning models.

A nomogram based on a gene signature for predicting the prognosis of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. The purpose of this study was to establish and validate a gene-expression-based prognostic signature in non-metastatic patients with HNSCC.

Materials And Methods: All the patients were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases.

Dose-response associations between metabolic indexes and the risk of comorbid type 2 diabetes mellitus among rheumatoid arthritis patients from Northern China: a case-control study.

Objective: To investigate whether there were any differences in the patterns of metabolic abnormalities between patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with comorbid type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and other populations, and to plot the dose-response relationships between metabolic indexes and the risk of comorbid T2DM among patients with RA.

Design And Setting: This is a retrospective case-control study using electronic medical records (EMRs). Patients with RA and/or T2DM or controls who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University between April 2008 and December 2016 were retrospectively recruited through the EMR system.

Exploring metabolic and inflammatory abnormalities in rheumatoid arthritis patients developing stroke disease: a case-control study using electronic medical record data in northern China.

Objectives: Intend to investigate the roles of serum lipids, inflammatory markers, and serological status in rheumatoid arthritis and stroke patients by using case-control study.

Materials And Methods: Clinical data were retrieved from the electronic medical record of the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University during January 2011 to March 2018. The obtained data were categorized into case groups and three control groups, in the ratios of 1:2, respectively, with all matching age and gender.

The dynamic monitoring of CEA in response to chemotherapy and prognosis of mCRC patients.

Background: The role of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) change patterns in tumor response and long-term outcome is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between changes in CEA levels and tumor response as a potential prognostic model.

Methods: CEA levels were determined from baseline to progression.