In order to solve the lack of relevant evaluation research on the accuracy of HMP155A humidity sensor calibration results in the past, this paper designs the corresponding experimental scheme, and obtains the correspo...In order to solve the lack of relevant evaluation research on the accuracy of HMP155A humidity sensor calibration results in the past, this paper designs the corresponding experimental scheme, and obtains the corresponding calibration results according to the experimental scheme;Then the measurement uncertainty of the indication error in the calibration results is evaluated by GUM, and the corresponding extended uncertainty </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">U</span></i><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">95</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> is obtained. Finally, according to the requirements of JJF1094-2016 characteristic evaluation of measuring instruments, combined with the calibration results and the actual situation of </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">U</span></i><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">95</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, the conformity of the indication error of calibration is determined. The result is that each calibration point of the sensor meets the requirements of conformity determination and is within the qualified range. This research effectively makes up for the blank of the previous research on the conformity determination of the indication error of the calibration results and has strong theoretical and practical significance.展开更多
BACKGROUND Streptococcus gallolyticus subspecies pasteurianus(SGSP)is a rare pathogen responsible for infant sepsis and meningitis and is potentially overlooked because it is not included in routine group B streptococ...BACKGROUND Streptococcus gallolyticus subspecies pasteurianus(SGSP)is a rare pathogen responsible for infant sepsis and meningitis and is potentially overlooked because it is not included in routine group B streptococcal screenings.Hence,we present a case of SGSP-induced infant meningitis and sepsis,accompanied by bronchopneumonia induced by multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA),providing insights into the identification,management,and prognosis of this bacterial infection.CASE SUMMARY A 45-day-old female infant presented with two episodes of high fever(maximum temperature:39.5°C)and two generalized grand mal seizure episodes that lasted over ten seconds and self-resolved without concomitant symptoms.Postadmission,the patient’s C-reactive protein level was 40.73 mg/L,white blood cell count was 13.42×10^(9)/L,neutrophil ratio was 78.4%,procalcitonin level was 7.89μg/L,cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)white cell count was 36×10^(6)/L,multinucleated cell ratio was 95.2%,and protein concentration was 0.41 g/L.Blood and CSF culture revealed that the pathogen was SGSP.The bacterium was sensitive to ampicillin,furazolidone,penicillin,lincomycin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,vancomycin,and levofloxacin but resistant to clindamycin and tetracycline.Sputum culture revealed the presence of MRSA,which was sensitive to vancomycin.The patient was diagnosed with meningitis and sepsis caused by SGSP,accompanied by bronchopneumonia induced by MRSA.Ceftriaxone(100 mg/kg/d)combined with vancomycin(10 mg/kg/dose,q6h)was given as an anti-infective treatment postadmission.After 12 days of treatment,the infant was discharged from the hospital with normal CSF,blood culture,and routine blood test results,and no complications,such as subdural effusion,were observed on cranial computed tomography.No growth retardation or neurological sequelae occurred during follow-up.CONCLUSION SGPSP-induced infant bacterial meningitis and sepsis should be treated with prompt blood and CSF cultures,and a sensitive antibiotic therapy to ensure a favorable prognosis.展开更多
Background: Perimembranous ventricular septal defect combined with right coronary cusp bulge generally should be treated with surgical thoracotomy, owing to the potential aortic regurgitation. However, the minimally i...Background: Perimembranous ventricular septal defect combined with right coronary cusp bulge generally should be treated with surgical thoracotomy, owing to the potential aortic regurgitation. However, the minimally invasive method of transcatheter closure has always attracted the attention of cardiologists and patients. The present study aimed to apply transcatheter occlusion in treating ventricular septal defect with right coronary cusp bulge and further evaluate the clinical effect through follow-up. Materials and methods: A total of 40 children diagnosed as having a ventricular septal defect with right coronary cusp bulge, examined using transthoracic echocardiography and cardiovascular angiography, were enrolled in this study. The ventricular septal defects were closed by placing occluders through transcatheter occlusion treatment. During the operation process, the children underwent angiography and transthoracic echocardiography examinations to check the position of the occlude and the extent of aortic regurgitation. The influence of occlusion on the conduction system was evaluated using a surface electrocardiogram. The children were followed up after their procedures. Results: All 40 patients were immediately and successfully occluded. Three patients with filament residual shunts were observed during the operations. No major surgical complications occurred during the perioperative period. During the follow-up period, the positions of all the occluders were good, the residual shunts in the three patients disappeared, and no new or aggravated aortic regurgitation occurred. Electrocardiogram did not reveal any atrioventricular blocks. Only one patient suffered from an incomplete right bundle branch block. Conclusions: Children diagnosed with ventricular septal defect combined with right coronary cusp bulge could be considered for transcatheter occlusion. With appropriate indications and methods, the effect may be favorable.展开更多
Activation of cannabinoid receptor type 1 on presynaptic neurons is postulated to suppress neu- ~ ~ ~ 2+ ~ ~ 2+ rotransmlsslon by decreasing Ca reflux through high voltage-gated Ca channels. However, recent studies...Activation of cannabinoid receptor type 1 on presynaptic neurons is postulated to suppress neu- ~ ~ ~ 2+ ~ ~ 2+ rotransmlsslon by decreasing Ca reflux through high voltage-gated Ca channels. However, recent studies suggest that cannabinoids which activate cannabinoid receptor type 1 can increase neurotransmitter release by enhancing Ca2+ influx in vitro. The aim of the present study was to investigate the modulation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration by the cannabinoid receptor type 1 agonist anandamide, and its underlying mechanisms. Using whole cell voltage-damp and calcium imaging in cultured trigeminal ganglion neurons, we found that anandamide directly caused Ca2+ influx in a dose-dependent manner, which then triggered an increase of intracellular Ca2+ concentration. The cyclic adenosine and guanosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase systems, but not the protein kinase C system, were involved in the increased intracellular Ca2+concentration by anandamide. This result showed that anandamide increased intracellu- lar Ca2+ concentration and inhibited high voltage-gated Ca2+ channels through different signal transduction pathways.展开更多
Blood cells are mainly(~99%)comprised of red blood cells.The most remarkable properties of are their high deformability,which allow they flow through microcapillaries of diameter even smaller than their size.The RBC’...Blood cells are mainly(~99%)comprised of red blood cells.The most remarkable properties of are their high deformability,which allow they flow through microcapillaries of diameter even smaller than their size.The RBC’s remarkable mechanical properties originate from the unique architecture of its membrane.To study the mechanism of RBC’s deformability,a commonly adopted approach is to localize the cytoskeleton protein by immunofluorescence,followed by exploring the changes of cytoskeleton protein during cell deformation.During this process,the fixed treatment of RBC using GA and PFA is of great importance.However,RBC’s deformability is reduced by the fixation process and skeletal protein of membrane is changed accordingly.The flow behavior of red RBCs through the microchannel also changed.Given the difficulty of observing RBC flow in vivo,in vitro simulation by virtue of microfluidic devices provides a feasible alternative.An important physiological phenomenon of the blood flow is the formation of cell free layer(CFL),with RBCs show a tendency to concentrate towards the central axis of the pipeline and move faster than the plasma layer.However,this phenomena is weaken if the stiffness of the membrane increase,which occurs in some disease,such as hereditary spherocytosis and hereditary elliptocytosis.To study the effects of GA and PFA fix treatment on RBC deformability,a microfluidic platform is employed to measuring the CFL and flow velocity of blood flow in this work.The PDMS micro flow channel used is 100 micrometers in width and 50 micrometers in deep.The RBC suspension is fed into the flow channel by the injection pump(NE-1000.USA),and the experiments are observed and recorded by the inverted microscope(IX70,Olympus,Japan)and high-speed camera(Memrecam GX-1,NAC,Japan)system.Three GA concentrations,i.e.,0.000 5,0.000 75,and 0.001 wt.%were used.Meanwhile,the effect of PFA at a concentration of 2wt.%work with GA was also investigated.Images of the flowing RBCs are processed mainly based on Memrecam GXLink.The results show that,the diameter of the RBC be treated is bigger and the shape of the RBC is became more flat after treated.Some of RBCs lost their biconcave structure.When the RBC suspension with 5%Hct flow in the microchannel,the CFL thickness decrease after being treated.And with concentrations of GA increase,the CFL thickness become thinner.The CFL thickness decrease significantly when GA and 2 wt.%PFA work combined.The velocity of RBCs decreases after treated with the GA or/and 2wt.%PFA.GA is known to relieve the dissolution of red blood cells during fluorescence labeling.On the other hand,the crosslinking of the aldehyde group(-cho)of GA with the amino group(-nh2)of RBC membrane protein will change the conformation of the membrane protein and its visco-elastic properties in turn.Then,the transparent fluidity orrheology characteristics of RBC is altered.Since GA and PFA are commonly used to immobilize red blood cells and keep the fluorescence constant,and PFA works similarly as GA,as a result,the variation of membrane protein conformation is intensified,and the membrane becomes stiffer.展开更多
[Objective] The research aimed to study relation between energy consumption and climate change in China. [Method] Climate change characteristics from 1951 to 2009 in China were summarized. Economic and social developm...[Objective] The research aimed to study relation between energy consumption and climate change in China. [Method] Climate change characteristics from 1951 to 2009 in China were summarized. Economic and social developments in China in recent 50 years were analyzed from production and consumption amounts of the energy, energy source composition and energy consumption of the GDP (ten-thousand yuan). Influences of the energy consumption and economic development on climate change were discussed. [ Result] Annual average temperature of China in- creased obviously from 1951 to 2009, and regional difference was distinct. Increasing trend of the temperature in the north of 35° N was bigger than that in the south. Increasing trend of the temperature in northeast China and Inner Mongolia reached 0.04 ℃/a. The average temperature from 1981 to 2009 was higher than that from 1951 to 1980, and the biggest difference value was more than 2.0 ℃. Mutation of Chinese energy produc- tion and consumption happened in 1985, but average temperature of China had an obvious mutation in 1989, showing temperature mutation lagged behind energy production and consumption mutation. Energy consumption of the GDP (ten-thousand yuan) decreased evidently from 1978 to 1997. Beginning from 1998, the decreasing pace slowed down markedly, and there was a rebound in 2003. Chinese new energy amount was increasing year by year. Because the total energy consumption amount was also increasing, new energy proportion had been maintained about one quarter. The energy consumption increasing model with energy consumption coefficient and the model without energy consumption coefficient were set up in this paper. It was found that Chinese energy structure changed a little after considering energy consumption coefficient. Proportion of the coal de- creased, while proportions of the oil, natural gas and electric power increased. Temperature changing trend was consistent with that of the economic development and energy consumption. Change trend of the average temperature basically presented good positive correlation with effective energy consumption amount, and the maximum correlation coefficient was 80%. [ Conclusion] The research proved the importance of developing clean & efficient energy and carrying out low-carbon economy to relieve climate change of China. It was urgent to carry out low-carbon economy and transform economic growth manner.展开更多
Laterality is a crucial physiological process intricately linked to the cilium-centrosome complex during embryo development.Defects in the process can result in severe organ mispositioning.Coiled-coil domain containin...Laterality is a crucial physiological process intricately linked to the cilium-centrosome complex during embryo development.Defects in the process can result in severe organ mispositioning.Coiled-coil domain containing 141(CCDC141)has been previously known as a centrosome-related gene,but its role in left-right(LR)asymmetry has not been characterized.In this study,we utilize the zebrafish model and human exome analysis to elucidate the function of ccdc141 in laterality defects.The knockdown of ccdc141 in zebrafish disrupts early LR signaling pathways,cilia function,and Kupffer's vesicle formation.Unlike ccdc141-knockdown embryos exhibiting aberrant LR patterns,ccdc141-null mutants show no apparent abnormality,suggesting a genetic compensation response effect.In parallel,we observe a marked reduction inα-tubulin acetylation levels in the ccdc141 crispants.The treatment with histone deacetylase(HDAC)inhibitors,particularly the HDAC6 inhibitor,rescues the ccdc141 crispant phenotypes.Furthermore,exome analysis of 70 patients with laterality defects reveals an increased burden of CCDC141 mutations,with in-vivo studies verifying the pathogenicity of the patient mutation CCDC141-R123G.Our findings highlight the critical role of ccdc141 in ciliogenesis and demonstrate that CCDC141 mutations lead to abnormal LR patterns,identifying it as a candidate gene for laterality defects.展开更多
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of low-dose tibolone therapy on ovarian area, uterine volume and endometrial thickness, and define the cut-off value of endometrial thickness for curettage during uter...The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of low-dose tibolone therapy on ovarian area, uterine volume and endometrial thickness, and define the cut-off value of endometrial thickness for curettage during uterine bleeding. We followed 619 postmenopausal women, aged 40-60 years, for two years. There were 301 subjects in the low-dose tibolone treatment group and 318 subjects in the control group. The ovarian area, uterine volume and endometrial thickness in all participants were measured by transvaginal ultrasound prior to, one and two years post enrollment, respectively. Endometrial specimens were collected from all subjects with abnormal uterine bleeding during the follow-up period. We found that the uterine volume in the treatment group was greater than that in the control group, and the difference was significant (P〈0.05), but there were no significant differences in ovarian area and endometrial thickness between the two groups (P〉0.05). When the cut-off value for endometrial thickness was 7.35 ram, the sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 79.07%, respectively, and 85.71% and 93.02% when 7.55 mm was set as the cut-offduring tibolone therapy. The results indicate that low-dose tibolone therapy may postpone uterine atrophy and the cut-off value of endometrial thickness may be appropriately adjusted for curettage.展开更多
β⁃FeOOH modified sludge biochar(FSBC)was prepared and investigated in this work to remove phosphate from water via adsorption.FSBC exhibited superior adsorption performance for phosphate with the maximum adsorption a...β⁃FeOOH modified sludge biochar(FSBC)was prepared and investigated in this work to remove phosphate from water via adsorption.FSBC exhibited superior adsorption performance for phosphate with the maximum adsorption amount of 27.17 mg/g at 25℃.The specific adsorption capacity of FSBC was 57.8%higher than that of commercial activated carbon at pH 5 with the initial phosphate concentration of 10 mg/L.Coexisting anions can inhibit the adsorption of phosphate,but cations(Cr(VI)and Cd^(2+))exhibited some promotion effect.The results of kinetic and isotherm models and characterization analysis in combination indicated chemical adsorption,as electrostatic interaction,metal phosphate precipitation and hydrogen bonding may be the dominant process.The adsorption of phosphate onto FSBC was a monolayer adsorption,and the process was endothermic.After four adsorption/desorption cycles,the adsorption capacity of FSBC for phosphate decreased by 36.4%,which was in a distinct comparison with the 57.5%of SBC.展开更多
Background:Communication between the right pulmonary artery(RPA)and left atrium(LA)is a rare cause of central cyanosis in pediatric patients.Case presentation:We describe a 3-year-old female patient with an oxygen sat...Background:Communication between the right pulmonary artery(RPA)and left atrium(LA)is a rare cause of central cyanosis in pediatric patients.Case presentation:We describe a 3-year-old female patient with an oxygen saturation of 70%at admission.The echocardiogram indicated an abnormal color flow Doppler in the LA and she underwent standard cardiac catheterization.The angiography of pulmonary artery revealed a 7.4 mm×7.6 mm fistula between the RPA and LA and achieved successful closure using ventricular septal defect occlusion.Conclusion:The fistula between pulmonary artery and left atrium is an extremely rare but treatable congenital defect.It should be considered in differential diagnosis of cyanosis in children.展开更多
Objectives: To evaluate the impact of external-care-seeking, explore the framework to regulate patients’ seeking doctor behavior and to promote better medical resources allocation. Methods: Obtaining data from regula...Objectives: To evaluate the impact of external-care-seeking, explore the framework to regulate patients’ seeking doctor behavior and to promote better medical resources allocation. Methods: Obtaining data from regular reports from public medical institutions in Shanghai, comparing patients who seek doctors from out-of-Shanghai residence and local patients with insurance in terms of the quantity of service, types of diseases, medical expenses, etc. Results: External-care-seeking has a large quantity, especially in hospitalization. In 2012, the number of discharged population from out-of-Shanghai accounted for 22.74% of the total discharged number, the proportion even higher than 30% in tertiary hospitals. Tertiary hospitals have a significant attraction effect, concentrating 59.42% of the outpatient and emergency visits and 71.82% of the amount of hospitalization, with corresponding cost of 75.86% and 82.56%. The top three divisions in tertiary hospitals for external-care-seeking were surgical, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine. Based on the interview, admitting out-of-shanghai patients is conducive to the improvement of the technical level of hospitals, and to the enhancement of the utilization efficiency of health resource. However, the local residents may have less accessibility of high quality of medical service. The average expense of external-care-seeking is higher than that of local patients happened in the same level of hospitals. Conclusions: External-care-seeking will have a more far-reaching impact on the health care system in Shanghai;some interventions might be necessary, such as rationally allocating medical resources based on the estimates of external-care-seeking and establishing a medical service supervision mechanism.展开更多
Inherited cardiovascular diseases(CVDs)threaten human health and pose an enormous economic burden worldwide.Genetic alteration is a major risk factor for many CVDs.These disorders are usually controlled by a pair of a...Inherited cardiovascular diseases(CVDs)threaten human health and pose an enormous economic burden worldwide.Genetic alteration is a major risk factor for many CVDs.These disorders are usually controlled by a pair of alleles,affecting offspring according to the Mendelian principle,regardless of isolated primary damage or secondary injury from other syndromes or deficiency.To date,there are hundreds of inherited CVDs.With advances in nextgeneration sequencing(NGS)technologies,rapid and accurate molecular diagnosis of patients with inherited CVDs is clinically practical.Besides,great improvements have been made in recent years,and targeted therapy and assist devices have been used in clinical practice.Yet there is still no totally efficient strategy for dealing with inherited CVDs.Accordingly.展开更多
Syncope belongs to the transient loss of consciousness(TLOC), characterized by a rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous complete recovery. It is common in children and adolescents, accounting for 1% to 2% of eme...Syncope belongs to the transient loss of consciousness(TLOC), characterized by a rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous complete recovery. It is common in children and adolescents, accounting for 1% to 2% of emergency department visits.Recurrent syncope can seriously affect children's physical and mental health, learning ability and quality of life and sometimes cardiac syncope even poses a risk of sudden death. The present guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of syncope in children and adolescents was developed for guiding a better clinical management of pediatric syncope. Based on the globally recent development and the evidence-based data in China, 2018 Chinese Pediatric Cardiology Society(CPCS) guideline for diagnosis and treatment of syncope in children and adolescents was jointly prepared by the Pediatric Cardiology Society, Chinese Pediatric Society, Chinese Medical Association(CMA)/Committee on Pediatric Syncope, Pediatricians Branch, Chinese Medical Doctor Association(CMDA)/Committee on Pediatric Cardiology, Chinese College of Cardiovascular Physicians, Chinese Medical Doctor Association(CMDA)/Pediatric Cardiology Society, Beijing Pediatric Society, Beijing Medical Association(BMA). The present guideline includes the underlying diseases of syncope in children and adolescents, the diagnostic procedures, methodology and clinical significance of standing test and headup tilt test, the clinical diagnosis vasovagal syncope, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, orthostatic hypotension and orthostatic hypertension, and the treatment of syncope as well as follow-up.展开更多
Ultraviolet(UV)assisted zero-valent iron(ZVI)-activated sodium persulfate(PDS)oxidation(UV-ZVI-PDS)was used to treat waste activated sludge(WAS)in this study.The dewaterability performance and mechanism of WAS dewater...Ultraviolet(UV)assisted zero-valent iron(ZVI)-activated sodium persulfate(PDS)oxidation(UV-ZVI-PDS)was used to treat waste activated sludge(WAS)in this study.The dewaterability performance and mechanism of WAS dewatering were analyzed.The results showed that UV-ZVI-PDS can obtain better sludge dewatering performance in a wide pH range(2.0-8.0).When the molar ratio of ZVI/PDS was 0.6,UV was 254nm,PDS dosage was 200 mg/g TS(total solid),pH was 6.54,reaction time was 20 min,the CST(capillary suction time)and SRF(specific resistance to filtration)were decreased by 64.0%and 78.2%,respectively.The molar ratio of ZVI/PDS used in this paper is much lower than that of literatures,and the contents of total Fe and Fe^(2+) in sludge supernatant remained at a low level,as 3.7 mg/L and 0.0 mg/L.The analysis of extracellular polymeric substances(EPS),scanning electron microscope(SEM)and particle size distribution showed that the EPS could be effectively destroyed by UV-ZVI-PDS,the sludge flocs broken down into smaller particles,cracks and holes appeared,and then the bound water was released.At the same time,the highly hydrophilic tightly bound-EPS(TB-EPS)were converted into loosely bound EPS(LB-EPS)and soluble EPS(S-EPS).During sludge pretreated by UV-ZVI-PDS,positively charged ions,such as Fe^(2+),Fe^(3+) and H^(+),produced in the reaction system could reduce the electronegativity of sludge surface,promote sludge particles aggregation,and then enhanced the sludge dewaterability.展开更多
Vascular endothelial growth factor A(Vegfa) signaling regulates vascular development during embryogenesis and organ formation.However,the signaling mechanisms that govern the formation of various arteries/veins in v...Vascular endothelial growth factor A(Vegfa) signaling regulates vascular development during embryogenesis and organ formation.However,the signaling mechanisms that govern the formation of various arteries/veins in various tissues are incompletely understood.In this study,we utilized transcription activator-like effector nuclease(TALEN) to generate zebrafish vegfaa mutants.vegfaa^-/- embryos are embryonic lethal,and display a complete loss of the dorsal aorta(DA) and expansion of the cardinal vein.Activation of Vegfa signaling expands the arterial cell population at the expense of venous cells during vasculogenesis of the axial vessels in the trunk.Vegfa signaling regulates endothelial cell(EC) proliferation after arterial-venous specification.Vegfa deficiency and overexpression inhibit the formation of tip cell filopodia and interfere with the pathfinding of intersegmental vessels(ISVs).In the head vasculature,vegfaa^-/- causes loss of a pair of mesencephalic veins(MsVs) and central arteries(CtAs),both of which usually dvelop via sprouting angiogenesis.Our results indicate that Vegfa signaling induces the formation of the DA at the expense of the cardinal vein during the trunk vasculogenesis,and that Vegfa is required for the angiogenic formation of MsVs and CtAs in the brain.These findings suggest that Vegfa signaling governs the formation of diverse arteries/veins by distinct cellular mechanisms in vertebrate vasculatures.展开更多
Absent in melanoma 2(AIM2)has been reported to be a component of inflammasomes in innate immune cells.Surprisingly,AIM2 is expressed by B cells,and higher AIM2 expression is observed in the B cells from lupus patients...Absent in melanoma 2(AIM2)has been reported to be a component of inflammasomes in innate immune cells.Surprisingly,AIM2 is expressed by B cells,and higher AIM2 expression is observed in the B cells from lupus patients.To date,the inflammasome-indepe ndent functi on of AIM2 in B cells remai ns un clear.Here,we report in creased expressi on of AIM2 in human tonsil memory and germinal center(GC)B cells and in memory B cells and plasma cells from the circulation and skin lesions of lupus patients.Conditional knockout of AIM2 in B cells reduces the CD19^(+)B-cell frequency in lymph nodes and spleens,and dampens KLH-induced lgG1-antibody production.In a pristane-induced mouse model of lupus,AIM2 deficiency in B cells attenuates lupus symptoms and reduces the frequency of GC B cells,T follicular helper(Tfh)cells,plasmablast cells,and plasma cells.Furthermore,the loss of AIM2 in human B cells leads to the increased expression of Blimp-1 and reduces the expression of Bcl-6.However,the silendng of Blimp-1 and Bcl-6 has no significant effect on AIM2 expression,indicating that AIM2 might be the upstream regulator for Blimp-1 and Bcl-6.In addition,IL-10 is found to upregulate AIM2 expression via DNA demethylation.Together,our findings reveal that AIM2 is highly expressed in the B cells of lupus patients and promotes B-cell differentiation by modulating the Bcl-6-Blimp-1 axis,providing a novel target for SLE treatment.展开更多
Psoriatic arthritis(PsA) is a rheumatoid factor(RF)-seronegative systemic inflammatory disorder associated with psoriasis.Current treatment for PsA in China is still focused on disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs(D...Psoriatic arthritis(PsA) is a rheumatoid factor(RF)-seronegative systemic inflammatory disorder associated with psoriasis.Current treatment for PsA in China is still focused on disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs(DMARDs).In this paper,we report two Chinese patients with active longstanding PsA treated with infliximab,a human-mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody against tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α).The results show that infliximab acted quickly and effectively in relieving peripheral and axial symptoms and refractory skin lesions,even in recombinant human TNF-α receptor(rhTNFR)-resistant case.The take-home message from our cases is that infliximab is a useful therapeutic option for refractory PsA,especially when a patient has a combination of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.Further local evidence and experience must be accumulated in order to make anti-TNF-α therapy more accessible to PsA patients in China.展开更多
文摘In order to solve the lack of relevant evaluation research on the accuracy of HMP155A humidity sensor calibration results in the past, this paper designs the corresponding experimental scheme, and obtains the corresponding calibration results according to the experimental scheme;Then the measurement uncertainty of the indication error in the calibration results is evaluated by GUM, and the corresponding extended uncertainty </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">U</span></i><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">95</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> is obtained. Finally, according to the requirements of JJF1094-2016 characteristic evaluation of measuring instruments, combined with the calibration results and the actual situation of </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">U</span></i><sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">95</span></sub><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, the conformity of the indication error of calibration is determined. The result is that each calibration point of the sensor meets the requirements of conformity determination and is within the qualified range. This research effectively makes up for the blank of the previous research on the conformity determination of the indication error of the calibration results and has strong theoretical and practical significance.
基金Supported by the Scientific Research Project from the Health Commission of Mianyang City,No.201903.
文摘BACKGROUND Streptococcus gallolyticus subspecies pasteurianus(SGSP)is a rare pathogen responsible for infant sepsis and meningitis and is potentially overlooked because it is not included in routine group B streptococcal screenings.Hence,we present a case of SGSP-induced infant meningitis and sepsis,accompanied by bronchopneumonia induced by multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA),providing insights into the identification,management,and prognosis of this bacterial infection.CASE SUMMARY A 45-day-old female infant presented with two episodes of high fever(maximum temperature:39.5°C)and two generalized grand mal seizure episodes that lasted over ten seconds and self-resolved without concomitant symptoms.Postadmission,the patient’s C-reactive protein level was 40.73 mg/L,white blood cell count was 13.42×10^(9)/L,neutrophil ratio was 78.4%,procalcitonin level was 7.89μg/L,cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)white cell count was 36×10^(6)/L,multinucleated cell ratio was 95.2%,and protein concentration was 0.41 g/L.Blood and CSF culture revealed that the pathogen was SGSP.The bacterium was sensitive to ampicillin,furazolidone,penicillin,lincomycin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,vancomycin,and levofloxacin but resistant to clindamycin and tetracycline.Sputum culture revealed the presence of MRSA,which was sensitive to vancomycin.The patient was diagnosed with meningitis and sepsis caused by SGSP,accompanied by bronchopneumonia induced by MRSA.Ceftriaxone(100 mg/kg/d)combined with vancomycin(10 mg/kg/dose,q6h)was given as an anti-infective treatment postadmission.After 12 days of treatment,the infant was discharged from the hospital with normal CSF,blood culture,and routine blood test results,and no complications,such as subdural effusion,were observed on cranial computed tomography.No growth retardation or neurological sequelae occurred during follow-up.CONCLUSION SGPSP-induced infant bacterial meningitis and sepsis should be treated with prompt blood and CSF cultures,and a sensitive antibiotic therapy to ensure a favorable prognosis.
基金supported by the National Science Foundation of China(Grant number 81470443)
文摘Background: Perimembranous ventricular septal defect combined with right coronary cusp bulge generally should be treated with surgical thoracotomy, owing to the potential aortic regurgitation. However, the minimally invasive method of transcatheter closure has always attracted the attention of cardiologists and patients. The present study aimed to apply transcatheter occlusion in treating ventricular septal defect with right coronary cusp bulge and further evaluate the clinical effect through follow-up. Materials and methods: A total of 40 children diagnosed as having a ventricular septal defect with right coronary cusp bulge, examined using transthoracic echocardiography and cardiovascular angiography, were enrolled in this study. The ventricular septal defects were closed by placing occluders through transcatheter occlusion treatment. During the operation process, the children underwent angiography and transthoracic echocardiography examinations to check the position of the occlude and the extent of aortic regurgitation. The influence of occlusion on the conduction system was evaluated using a surface electrocardiogram. The children were followed up after their procedures. Results: All 40 patients were immediately and successfully occluded. Three patients with filament residual shunts were observed during the operations. No major surgical complications occurred during the perioperative period. During the follow-up period, the positions of all the occluders were good, the residual shunts in the three patients disappeared, and no new or aggravated aortic regurgitation occurred. Electrocardiogram did not reveal any atrioventricular blocks. Only one patient suffered from an incomplete right bundle branch block. Conclusions: Children diagnosed with ventricular septal defect combined with right coronary cusp bulge could be considered for transcatheter occlusion. With appropriate indications and methods, the effect may be favorable.
基金supported by NIH,grant No.GM-63577NNSF,grant No.30571537,No.30271500+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.30271500,30571537 and 813702462010 National Clinical Key Disciplines Construction Grant from the Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China
文摘Activation of cannabinoid receptor type 1 on presynaptic neurons is postulated to suppress neu- ~ ~ ~ 2+ ~ ~ 2+ rotransmlsslon by decreasing Ca reflux through high voltage-gated Ca channels. However, recent studies suggest that cannabinoids which activate cannabinoid receptor type 1 can increase neurotransmitter release by enhancing Ca2+ influx in vitro. The aim of the present study was to investigate the modulation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration by the cannabinoid receptor type 1 agonist anandamide, and its underlying mechanisms. Using whole cell voltage-damp and calcium imaging in cultured trigeminal ganglion neurons, we found that anandamide directly caused Ca2+ influx in a dose-dependent manner, which then triggered an increase of intracellular Ca2+ concentration. The cyclic adenosine and guanosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase systems, but not the protein kinase C system, were involved in the increased intracellular Ca2+concentration by anandamide. This result showed that anandamide increased intracellu- lar Ca2+ concentration and inhibited high voltage-gated Ca2+ channels through different signal transduction pathways.
文摘Blood cells are mainly(~99%)comprised of red blood cells.The most remarkable properties of are their high deformability,which allow they flow through microcapillaries of diameter even smaller than their size.The RBC’s remarkable mechanical properties originate from the unique architecture of its membrane.To study the mechanism of RBC’s deformability,a commonly adopted approach is to localize the cytoskeleton protein by immunofluorescence,followed by exploring the changes of cytoskeleton protein during cell deformation.During this process,the fixed treatment of RBC using GA and PFA is of great importance.However,RBC’s deformability is reduced by the fixation process and skeletal protein of membrane is changed accordingly.The flow behavior of red RBCs through the microchannel also changed.Given the difficulty of observing RBC flow in vivo,in vitro simulation by virtue of microfluidic devices provides a feasible alternative.An important physiological phenomenon of the blood flow is the formation of cell free layer(CFL),with RBCs show a tendency to concentrate towards the central axis of the pipeline and move faster than the plasma layer.However,this phenomena is weaken if the stiffness of the membrane increase,which occurs in some disease,such as hereditary spherocytosis and hereditary elliptocytosis.To study the effects of GA and PFA fix treatment on RBC deformability,a microfluidic platform is employed to measuring the CFL and flow velocity of blood flow in this work.The PDMS micro flow channel used is 100 micrometers in width and 50 micrometers in deep.The RBC suspension is fed into the flow channel by the injection pump(NE-1000.USA),and the experiments are observed and recorded by the inverted microscope(IX70,Olympus,Japan)and high-speed camera(Memrecam GX-1,NAC,Japan)system.Three GA concentrations,i.e.,0.000 5,0.000 75,and 0.001 wt.%were used.Meanwhile,the effect of PFA at a concentration of 2wt.%work with GA was also investigated.Images of the flowing RBCs are processed mainly based on Memrecam GXLink.The results show that,the diameter of the RBC be treated is bigger and the shape of the RBC is became more flat after treated.Some of RBCs lost their biconcave structure.When the RBC suspension with 5%Hct flow in the microchannel,the CFL thickness decrease after being treated.And with concentrations of GA increase,the CFL thickness become thinner.The CFL thickness decrease significantly when GA and 2 wt.%PFA work combined.The velocity of RBCs decreases after treated with the GA or/and 2wt.%PFA.GA is known to relieve the dissolution of red blood cells during fluorescence labeling.On the other hand,the crosslinking of the aldehyde group(-cho)of GA with the amino group(-nh2)of RBC membrane protein will change the conformation of the membrane protein and its visco-elastic properties in turn.Then,the transparent fluidity orrheology characteristics of RBC is altered.Since GA and PFA are commonly used to immobilize red blood cells and keep the fluorescence constant,and PFA works similarly as GA,as a result,the variation of membrane protein conformation is intensified,and the membrane becomes stiffer.
基金Supported by Meteorological Science Research Item in Shanxi Province,China (SXKYBQH20116227)
文摘[Objective] The research aimed to study relation between energy consumption and climate change in China. [Method] Climate change characteristics from 1951 to 2009 in China were summarized. Economic and social developments in China in recent 50 years were analyzed from production and consumption amounts of the energy, energy source composition and energy consumption of the GDP (ten-thousand yuan). Influences of the energy consumption and economic development on climate change were discussed. [ Result] Annual average temperature of China in- creased obviously from 1951 to 2009, and regional difference was distinct. Increasing trend of the temperature in the north of 35° N was bigger than that in the south. Increasing trend of the temperature in northeast China and Inner Mongolia reached 0.04 ℃/a. The average temperature from 1981 to 2009 was higher than that from 1951 to 1980, and the biggest difference value was more than 2.0 ℃. Mutation of Chinese energy produc- tion and consumption happened in 1985, but average temperature of China had an obvious mutation in 1989, showing temperature mutation lagged behind energy production and consumption mutation. Energy consumption of the GDP (ten-thousand yuan) decreased evidently from 1978 to 1997. Beginning from 1998, the decreasing pace slowed down markedly, and there was a rebound in 2003. Chinese new energy amount was increasing year by year. Because the total energy consumption amount was also increasing, new energy proportion had been maintained about one quarter. The energy consumption increasing model with energy consumption coefficient and the model without energy consumption coefficient were set up in this paper. It was found that Chinese energy structure changed a little after considering energy consumption coefficient. Proportion of the coal de- creased, while proportions of the oil, natural gas and electric power increased. Temperature changing trend was consistent with that of the economic development and energy consumption. Change trend of the average temperature basically presented good positive correlation with effective energy consumption amount, and the maximum correlation coefficient was 80%. [ Conclusion] The research proved the importance of developing clean & efficient energy and carrying out low-carbon economy to relieve climate change of China. It was urgent to carry out low-carbon economy and transform economic growth manner.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81970264).
文摘Laterality is a crucial physiological process intricately linked to the cilium-centrosome complex during embryo development.Defects in the process can result in severe organ mispositioning.Coiled-coil domain containing 141(CCDC141)has been previously known as a centrosome-related gene,but its role in left-right(LR)asymmetry has not been characterized.In this study,we utilize the zebrafish model and human exome analysis to elucidate the function of ccdc141 in laterality defects.The knockdown of ccdc141 in zebrafish disrupts early LR signaling pathways,cilia function,and Kupffer's vesicle formation.Unlike ccdc141-knockdown embryos exhibiting aberrant LR patterns,ccdc141-null mutants show no apparent abnormality,suggesting a genetic compensation response effect.In parallel,we observe a marked reduction inα-tubulin acetylation levels in the ccdc141 crispants.The treatment with histone deacetylase(HDAC)inhibitors,particularly the HDAC6 inhibitor,rescues the ccdc141 crispant phenotypes.Furthermore,exome analysis of 70 patients with laterality defects reveals an increased burden of CCDC141 mutations,with in-vivo studies verifying the pathogenicity of the patient mutation CCDC141-R123G.Our findings highlight the critical role of ccdc141 in ciliogenesis and demonstrate that CCDC141 mutations lead to abnormal LR patterns,identifying it as a candidate gene for laterality defects.
基金supported by the Sci-tech Research Development Program of Shaanxi Province (No.2015SF015)
文摘The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of low-dose tibolone therapy on ovarian area, uterine volume and endometrial thickness, and define the cut-off value of endometrial thickness for curettage during uterine bleeding. We followed 619 postmenopausal women, aged 40-60 years, for two years. There were 301 subjects in the low-dose tibolone treatment group and 318 subjects in the control group. The ovarian area, uterine volume and endometrial thickness in all participants were measured by transvaginal ultrasound prior to, one and two years post enrollment, respectively. Endometrial specimens were collected from all subjects with abnormal uterine bleeding during the follow-up period. We found that the uterine volume in the treatment group was greater than that in the control group, and the difference was significant (P〈0.05), but there were no significant differences in ovarian area and endometrial thickness between the two groups (P〉0.05). When the cut-off value for endometrial thickness was 7.35 ram, the sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 79.07%, respectively, and 85.71% and 93.02% when 7.55 mm was set as the cut-offduring tibolone therapy. The results indicate that low-dose tibolone therapy may postpone uterine atrophy and the cut-off value of endometrial thickness may be appropriately adjusted for curettage.
基金Sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51608166)。
文摘β⁃FeOOH modified sludge biochar(FSBC)was prepared and investigated in this work to remove phosphate from water via adsorption.FSBC exhibited superior adsorption performance for phosphate with the maximum adsorption amount of 27.17 mg/g at 25℃.The specific adsorption capacity of FSBC was 57.8%higher than that of commercial activated carbon at pH 5 with the initial phosphate concentration of 10 mg/L.Coexisting anions can inhibit the adsorption of phosphate,but cations(Cr(VI)and Cd^(2+))exhibited some promotion effect.The results of kinetic and isotherm models and characterization analysis in combination indicated chemical adsorption,as electrostatic interaction,metal phosphate precipitation and hydrogen bonding may be the dominant process.The adsorption of phosphate onto FSBC was a monolayer adsorption,and the process was endothermic.After four adsorption/desorption cycles,the adsorption capacity of FSBC for phosphate decreased by 36.4%,which was in a distinct comparison with the 57.5%of SBC.
基金This work was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation of China[Grant No.81700286].
文摘Background:Communication between the right pulmonary artery(RPA)and left atrium(LA)is a rare cause of central cyanosis in pediatric patients.Case presentation:We describe a 3-year-old female patient with an oxygen saturation of 70%at admission.The echocardiogram indicated an abnormal color flow Doppler in the LA and she underwent standard cardiac catheterization.The angiography of pulmonary artery revealed a 7.4 mm×7.6 mm fistula between the RPA and LA and achieved successful closure using ventricular septal defect occlusion.Conclusion:The fistula between pulmonary artery and left atrium is an extremely rare but treatable congenital defect.It should be considered in differential diagnosis of cyanosis in children.
文摘Objectives: To evaluate the impact of external-care-seeking, explore the framework to regulate patients’ seeking doctor behavior and to promote better medical resources allocation. Methods: Obtaining data from regular reports from public medical institutions in Shanghai, comparing patients who seek doctors from out-of-Shanghai residence and local patients with insurance in terms of the quantity of service, types of diseases, medical expenses, etc. Results: External-care-seeking has a large quantity, especially in hospitalization. In 2012, the number of discharged population from out-of-Shanghai accounted for 22.74% of the total discharged number, the proportion even higher than 30% in tertiary hospitals. Tertiary hospitals have a significant attraction effect, concentrating 59.42% of the outpatient and emergency visits and 71.82% of the amount of hospitalization, with corresponding cost of 75.86% and 82.56%. The top three divisions in tertiary hospitals for external-care-seeking were surgical, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine. Based on the interview, admitting out-of-shanghai patients is conducive to the improvement of the technical level of hospitals, and to the enhancement of the utilization efficiency of health resource. However, the local residents may have less accessibility of high quality of medical service. The average expense of external-care-seeking is higher than that of local patients happened in the same level of hospitals. Conclusions: External-care-seeking will have a more far-reaching impact on the health care system in Shanghai;some interventions might be necessary, such as rationally allocating medical resources based on the estimates of external-care-seeking and establishing a medical service supervision mechanism.
基金Key R&D Program of Sichuan Province of China(No.2021YFQ0061)Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province(No.2022ZYD0067 and MSGC20230024)+2 种基金Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.82070324,82001496,and 82270249)Project of Chengdu Science and Technology Bureau(No.2021-YF05-02110-SN)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Nos.2020M680149 and 2020T130087ZX)
文摘Inherited cardiovascular diseases(CVDs)threaten human health and pose an enormous economic burden worldwide.Genetic alteration is a major risk factor for many CVDs.These disorders are usually controlled by a pair of alleles,affecting offspring according to the Mendelian principle,regardless of isolated primary damage or secondary injury from other syndromes or deficiency.To date,there are hundreds of inherited CVDs.With advances in nextgeneration sequencing(NGS)technologies,rapid and accurate molecular diagnosis of patients with inherited CVDs is clinically practical.Besides,great improvements have been made in recent years,and targeted therapy and assist devices have been used in clinical practice.Yet there is still no totally efficient strategy for dealing with inherited CVDs.Accordingly.
文摘Syncope belongs to the transient loss of consciousness(TLOC), characterized by a rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous complete recovery. It is common in children and adolescents, accounting for 1% to 2% of emergency department visits.Recurrent syncope can seriously affect children's physical and mental health, learning ability and quality of life and sometimes cardiac syncope even poses a risk of sudden death. The present guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of syncope in children and adolescents was developed for guiding a better clinical management of pediatric syncope. Based on the globally recent development and the evidence-based data in China, 2018 Chinese Pediatric Cardiology Society(CPCS) guideline for diagnosis and treatment of syncope in children and adolescents was jointly prepared by the Pediatric Cardiology Society, Chinese Pediatric Society, Chinese Medical Association(CMA)/Committee on Pediatric Syncope, Pediatricians Branch, Chinese Medical Doctor Association(CMDA)/Committee on Pediatric Cardiology, Chinese College of Cardiovascular Physicians, Chinese Medical Doctor Association(CMDA)/Pediatric Cardiology Society, Beijing Pediatric Society, Beijing Medical Association(BMA). The present guideline includes the underlying diseases of syncope in children and adolescents, the diagnostic procedures, methodology and clinical significance of standing test and headup tilt test, the clinical diagnosis vasovagal syncope, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, orthostatic hypotension and orthostatic hypertension, and the treatment of syncope as well as follow-up.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51608166)the China Scholarship Council(No.201906705003).
文摘Ultraviolet(UV)assisted zero-valent iron(ZVI)-activated sodium persulfate(PDS)oxidation(UV-ZVI-PDS)was used to treat waste activated sludge(WAS)in this study.The dewaterability performance and mechanism of WAS dewatering were analyzed.The results showed that UV-ZVI-PDS can obtain better sludge dewatering performance in a wide pH range(2.0-8.0).When the molar ratio of ZVI/PDS was 0.6,UV was 254nm,PDS dosage was 200 mg/g TS(total solid),pH was 6.54,reaction time was 20 min,the CST(capillary suction time)and SRF(specific resistance to filtration)were decreased by 64.0%and 78.2%,respectively.The molar ratio of ZVI/PDS used in this paper is much lower than that of literatures,and the contents of total Fe and Fe^(2+) in sludge supernatant remained at a low level,as 3.7 mg/L and 0.0 mg/L.The analysis of extracellular polymeric substances(EPS),scanning electron microscope(SEM)and particle size distribution showed that the EPS could be effectively destroyed by UV-ZVI-PDS,the sludge flocs broken down into smaller particles,cracks and holes appeared,and then the bound water was released.At the same time,the highly hydrophilic tightly bound-EPS(TB-EPS)were converted into loosely bound EPS(LB-EPS)and soluble EPS(S-EPS).During sludge pretreated by UV-ZVI-PDS,positively charged ions,such as Fe^(2+),Fe^(3+) and H^(+),produced in the reaction system could reduce the electronegativity of sludge surface,promote sludge particles aggregation,and then enhanced the sludge dewaterability.
基金supported by grants from the National Basic Research Program of China (MOST945301)the National Science Foundation of China(Nos.81170152,31471357,and 31530044)the Natural Science Foundation of Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(13ZR1457500)
文摘Vascular endothelial growth factor A(Vegfa) signaling regulates vascular development during embryogenesis and organ formation.However,the signaling mechanisms that govern the formation of various arteries/veins in various tissues are incompletely understood.In this study,we utilized transcription activator-like effector nuclease(TALEN) to generate zebrafish vegfaa mutants.vegfaa^-/- embryos are embryonic lethal,and display a complete loss of the dorsal aorta(DA) and expansion of the cardinal vein.Activation of Vegfa signaling expands the arterial cell population at the expense of venous cells during vasculogenesis of the axial vessels in the trunk.Vegfa signaling regulates endothelial cell(EC) proliferation after arterial-venous specification.Vegfa deficiency and overexpression inhibit the formation of tip cell filopodia and interfere with the pathfinding of intersegmental vessels(ISVs).In the head vasculature,vegfaa^-/- causes loss of a pair of mesencephalic veins(MsVs) and central arteries(CtAs),both of which usually dvelop via sprouting angiogenesis.Our results indicate that Vegfa signaling induces the formation of the DA at the expense of the cardinal vein during the trunk vasculogenesis,and that Vegfa is required for the angiogenic formation of MsVs and CtAs in the brain.These findings suggest that Vegfa signaling governs the formation of diverse arteries/veins by distinct cellular mechanisms in vertebrate vasculatures.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.81972943,81830097)Hunan Talent Young Investigator(No.2019RS2012)+1 种基金Hunan Outstanding Young Investigator(No.2O2OJJ2O55)CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(CIFMS)(2019-I2M-5-033)Chongqing International Institute for Immunology(2020YJC10).
文摘Absent in melanoma 2(AIM2)has been reported to be a component of inflammasomes in innate immune cells.Surprisingly,AIM2 is expressed by B cells,and higher AIM2 expression is observed in the B cells from lupus patients.To date,the inflammasome-indepe ndent functi on of AIM2 in B cells remai ns un clear.Here,we report in creased expressi on of AIM2 in human tonsil memory and germinal center(GC)B cells and in memory B cells and plasma cells from the circulation and skin lesions of lupus patients.Conditional knockout of AIM2 in B cells reduces the CD19^(+)B-cell frequency in lymph nodes and spleens,and dampens KLH-induced lgG1-antibody production.In a pristane-induced mouse model of lupus,AIM2 deficiency in B cells attenuates lupus symptoms and reduces the frequency of GC B cells,T follicular helper(Tfh)cells,plasmablast cells,and plasma cells.Furthermore,the loss of AIM2 in human B cells leads to the increased expression of Blimp-1 and reduces the expression of Bcl-6.However,the silendng of Blimp-1 and Bcl-6 has no significant effect on AIM2 expression,indicating that AIM2 might be the upstream regulator for Blimp-1 and Bcl-6.In addition,IL-10 is found to upregulate AIM2 expression via DNA demethylation.Together,our findings reveal that AIM2 is highly expressed in the B cells of lupus patients and promotes B-cell differentiation by modulating the Bcl-6-Blimp-1 axis,providing a novel target for SLE treatment.
文摘Psoriatic arthritis(PsA) is a rheumatoid factor(RF)-seronegative systemic inflammatory disorder associated with psoriasis.Current treatment for PsA in China is still focused on disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs(DMARDs).In this paper,we report two Chinese patients with active longstanding PsA treated with infliximab,a human-mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody against tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α).The results show that infliximab acted quickly and effectively in relieving peripheral and axial symptoms and refractory skin lesions,even in recombinant human TNF-α receptor(rhTNFR)-resistant case.The take-home message from our cases is that infliximab is a useful therapeutic option for refractory PsA,especially when a patient has a combination of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.Further local evidence and experience must be accumulated in order to make anti-TNF-α therapy more accessible to PsA patients in China.