Activatable fluorescent probes for imaging and diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a systemic autoimmune disease that is primarily manifested as synovitis and polyarticular opacity and typically leads to serious joint damage and irreversible disability,thus adversely affecting locomotion ability and life quality.Consequently,good prognosis heavily relies on the early diagnosis and effective therapeutic monitoring of RA.Activatable fluorescent probes play vital roles in the detection and imaging of biomarkers for disease diagnosis and in vivo imaging.Herein,we review the fluorescent probes developed for the detection and imaging of RA biomarkers,namely reactive oxygen/nitrogen species(hypochlorous acid,peroxynitrite,hydroxyl radical,nitroxyl),pH,and cysteine,and address the related challenges and prospects to inspire the design of novel fluorescent probes and the improvement of their performance in RA studies.

Application of computational methods in genetic study ofinflammatory bowel disease

Genetic factors play an important role in the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD). The launch of genome-wide association study(GWAS) represents a landmark in the genetic study of human complex disease. Concurrently, computational methods have undergone rapid development during the past a few years, which led to the identification of numerous disease susceptibility loci. IBD is one of the successful examples of GWAS and related analyses. A total of 163 genetic loci and multiple signaling pathways have been identified to be associated with IBD. Pleiotropic effects were found for many of these loci; and risk prediction models were built based on a broad spectrum of genetic variants. Important gene-gene, gene-environment interactions and key contributions of gut microbiome are being discovered. Here we will review the different types of analyses that have been applied to IBD genetic study, discuss the computational methods for each type of analysis, and summarize the discoveries made in IBD research with the application of these methods.

Patient Perceptions of Current Disease Control in Poorly Controlled Diabetes

Background: Studies suggest that patients do not understand the hemoglobin A1c value (A1c). However, clinicians may communicate information about glycemic control in other ways. Given this, this study evaluates patients’ understanding of current diabetes control, independent of the A1c, and the factors affecting this understanding. Method: Cross-sectional survey of patients with poorly controlled diabetes seen in urban clinics in fall of 2010. Results: 177 people completed the survey. 73.5% were women, 83.0% were African-American and the average age was 56.5 years. 80.2% of respondents reported having had diabetes for at least five years. 39% reported past participation in a diabetes education course. Average A1c was 9.9(S.D. 1.7)%;no differences were noted based on income, education, disease duration, or complication history. 23.7% described their disease control as “good” or “excellent” in spite of an average A1c of 9.5% (1.2). Notably, most of this group reported diabetes for over five years and did not differ in history of diabetes-related complications or educational attainment compared to those with more accurate perceptions of control. Conclusion: The high proportion of participants who reported “good” or “excellent” control in spite of mean A1c greater than 9.5% raises serious questions about the effectiveness of current communication methods for patients with poorly controlled diabetes.

Genomic information of children with malignant brain tumors for the prediction of length of hospitalization

Dear Editor:Central nervous system tumors in the brain or spine are the most common solid tumors in children,which accounts for about 25%of cancers in children younger than 15 years of age,and are the most common cause of cancer deaths in children[1].The 5-year survival rate for central nervous system neoplasms has increased dramatically to 74%for patients under 18 years old(97%for benign/borderline malignant tumors)in 2022,compared to 20%in the 1970s[1].Without cure treatments and specific medications for many brain cancers,the dramatic increase of survival rate is largely due to improved hospital care and availability of clinical resources.The length of hospitalization of pediatric patients with brain cancer is an important indicator of prognosis as it reflects the required medical effort needed to care for these patients.The length of hospitalization is also critical for the healthcare system as hospital admission is a part of the care trajectory of the respective patients,related to the cost of medical care[2,3].

Airway function throughout the lifespan: Pediatric origins of adult respiratory disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)is a leading cause of disability and death of adults in the USA and worldwide.While environmental factors such as smoking and air pollution are major contributors to COPD,pediatric respiratory disease and more specifically early childhood wheezing are frequent predisposing factors.It is therefore possible that aggressive prevention and treatment of childhood respiratory illness may modify adult COPD risk.This article reviews some of the physiological factors that may explain the pediatric origins of childhood lung disease.One such factor is the"tracking"of normal lung function which occurs with growth.The maximal expiratory flow volume(MEFV)curve is an ideally suited tool to monitor tracking of airway function over the lifespan,as its relative effort independence makes it highly reliable.Study of the MEFV curve has demonstrated that individuals with similar lung volumes can have large differences in maximal flows,reflecting a disconnection between airway and lung growth("dysanapsis").Less than average airway size due to dysanaptic airway growth or airway remodeling may be independent risk factors for the development of COPD and the asthma/COPD overlap syndrome in adult life.There are intriguing early data suggesting that perhaps at least some of this risk is modifiable by improving asthma control with inhaled corticosteroids and minimizing asthma exacerbations.

Lost in translation: Evaluating traditional Chinese medicine by western standards

In this issue of Pediatric Investigation,Xu et al.'reporl a study comparing two medications w ith immunomodulatory properties in the treatment of pediatric recurent respiratory tract infections(RRTI).Pidotimod is a synthetic dipeptide introduccd in the 1990s.2 while Yupingfeng(YPF)is a traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).TCM has roots as early as the 14th century BCE.In the west,it certainly has its skepics.

Genetic correlations between COVID-19 and a variety of traits and diseases

The ongoing coronavirus disease(COVID-19)outbreak has posed an extraordinary threat to global public health.Patients with certain underlying medical conditions,such as obesity,hypertension,and diabetes are at increased risk for poor outcome in COVID-19.1 Given the high genetic heritability of the aforementioned conditions,their shared genetic factors may play a crucial role in the severity of COVID-19.Indeed,a recent genome-wide association study(GWAS)of COVID-19 has reported two genomic loci associated with severe COVID-19,indicating a strong genetic influence on the severity of COVID-19.

A tribute to George Polgar, M.D.

George Polgar,a world renowned pediatric pulmonologist and physiologist,and founding editor of the journal Pediatric Pulmonology,was born in Gy(o)ngy(o)s,Hungary and earned his medical degree at the University of Szeged in 1938.He often told his family that he had decided to become a doctor when he was 5 years old.