Rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease risk prediction in anti-MDA5 positive dermatomyositis: the CROSS model.

Background: The prognosis of anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 positive dermatomyositis (anti-MDA5DM) is poor and heterogeneous. Rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD) is these patients' leading cause of death. We sought to develop prediction models for RP-ILD risk in anti-MDA5DM patients.

Systematic Investigation of the Degradation Properties of Nitrile-Butadiene Rubber/Polyamide Elastomer/Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Composites in Thermo-Oxidative and Hot Oil Environments.

The physical blending method was used in order to prepare nitrile-butadiene rubber/polyamide elastomer/single-walled carbon nanotube (NBR/PAE/SWCNT) composites with better thermal-oxidative aging resistance. The interactions between SWCNTs and NBR/PAE were characterized using the Moving Die Rheometer 2000 (MDR 2000), rheological behavior tests, the equilibrium swelling method, and mechanical property tests. The 100% constant tensile stress and hardness of NBR/PAE/SWCNT composites increased from 2.

Gender differences in patients with anti-MDA5-positive dermatomyositis: a cohort study of 251 cases.

Objective: To investigate the impact of sex differences on the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5-positive dermatomyositis (MDA5 DM).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 251 patients with MDA5 DM, including 71 in the male group and 180 in the female group. A multivariate logistic regression model was built to analyze independent risk factors for RPILD in each group.

Contributing Factors of Dielectric Properties for Polymer Matrix Composites.

Due to the trend of multi-function, integration, and miniaturization of electronics, traditional dielectric materials are difficult to satisfy new requirements, such as balanced dielectric properties and good designability. Therefore, high dielectric polymer composites have attracted wide attention due to their outstanding processibility, good designability, and dielectric properties. A number of polymer composites are employed in capacitors and sensors.

High-Dielectric PVP@PANI/PDMS Composites Fabricated via an Electric Field-Assisted Approach.

Polymer-based composite films with multiple properties, such as low dielectric loss tangent, high dielectric constant, and low cost are promising materials in the area of electronics and electric industries. In this study, flexible dielectric films were fabricated via an electric field-assisted method. Polyaniline (PANI) was modified by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to form a core-shell structure to serve as functional particles and silicone rubber polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) served as the matrix.

Time-dependent changes in RPILD and mortality risk in anti-MDA5+ DM patients: a cohort study of 272 cases in China.

Objectives: Anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 positive (anti-MDA5+) DM has a close relationship with rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RPILD) and is associated with high mortality. However, data regarding the time-dependent risk of RPILD and deaths during disease progression are limited. We conducted this study to investigate whether the risk of RPILD and death were time-dependent or not in anti-MDA5+ DM.

The Bladder Microbiome, Metabolome, Cytokines, and Phenotypes in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Emerging studies reveal unique bacterial communities in the human bladder, with alteration of composition associated to disease states. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease that is characterized by frequent impairment of the kidney. Here, we explored the bladder microbiome, metabolome, and cytokine profiles in SLE patients, as well as correlations between microbiome and metabolome, cytokines, and disease profiles.

Identification of Three Different Phenotypes in Anti-Melanoma Differentiation-Associated Gene 5 Antibody-Positive Dermatomyositis Patients: Implications for Prediction of Rapidly Progressive Interstitial Lung Disease.

Objective: There is substantial heterogeneity among the phenotypes of patients with anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody-positive (anti-MDA5+) dermatomyositis (DM), hindering disease assessment and management. This study aimed to identify distinct phenotype groups in patients with anti-MDA5+ DM and to determine the utility of these phenotypes in predicting patient outcomes.

Methods: A total of 265 patients with anti-MDA5+ DM were retrospectively enrolled in the study.

Upregulated miR-146a Expression in Peripheral Blood Relates to Th17 and Treg Imbalance in Elder Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.

Background: The expression level of microRNA-146a (miR-146a) increased in peripheral blood and synovialis tissue of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient, and it may play an important role in the pathological process of RA. We investigated its possibility as a diagnostic marker and the correlation with T helper 17 (Th17) and Treg cells in elder RA patients.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from 38 active RA patients, 38 inactive RA patients, and 40 healthy controls.

Coexistence of Anti-Ro52 Antibodies in Anti-MDA5 Antibody-Positive Dermatomyositis Is Highly Associated With Rapidly Progressive Interstitial Lung Disease and Mortality Risk.

Objective: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common extramuscular complication contributing to significant morbidity and mortality in patients with dermatomyositis (DM) who are positive for antimelanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody (anti-MDA5+). We conducted this study to investigate the association of anti-Ro52 antibodies with clinical characteristics and prognosis in patients with anti-MDA5+ DM.

Methods: We assessed a cohort of 246 patients with anti-MDA5+ DM.

Distinct Microbiomes of Gut and Saliva in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematous and Clinical Associations.

Alterations in the microbiome of the gut and oral cavity are involved in the etiopathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We aimed to assess whether both microbiome compositions in feces and saliva were specific in patients with SLE. A total of 35 patients with SLE, as well as sex- and age-matched asymptomatic subjects as healthy control (HC) group were recruited.

Baicalin reduces blood lipids and inflammation in patients with coronary artery disease and rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) above the baseline. Baicalin possesses beneficial effects against both RA and CAD, but little is know on its clincial efficacy among patients manifesting both CAD and RA.

Methods: Three hundred seventy four patients with CAD and RA were randomized to receive either 500 mg baicalin or placebo orally everyday for 12 weeks.

Red blood cell distribution width and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio are correlated with disease activity of dermatomyositis and polymyositis.

Background: Previous studies indicated that both red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were useful indices in assessing the disease activity of autoimmune diseases. However, the evidence for the association between RDW, NLR and dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM) is limited. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the disease activity of PM/DM and both RDW and NLR.

Resveratrol improves treatment outcome and laboratory parameters in patients with Takayasu arteritis: A randomized double-blind and placebo-controlled trial.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors have exhibited certain clinical efficacy in treating refractory Takayasu arteritis (TA), albeit with severe adverse effects. We aimed to explore the anti-TNF function of resveratrol, a natural compound, in the treatment of TA. A total of 271 patients diagnosed of acute TA were enrolled in this clinical trial, who were then randomized to be administered 250mg resveratrol or placebo on a daily basis for a period of 3 months, and revisited biweekly to assess treatment outcomes.

Thalidomide treatment in cutaneous lesions of systemic lupus erythematosus: a multicenter study in China.

Thalidomide is effective for treating severe cutaneous lupus patients. The aim of this study was to observe the optimum effective and maintenance doses of thalidomide to maximize clinical benefit and minimize side effects for patients with cutaneous lupus in China. Sixty-nine patients with lupus rash from eight hospitals in China were enrolled and treated with different doses of thalidomide.

Sensitive and selective amplified visual detection of cytokines based on exonuclease III-aided target recycling.

A new Exo III assisted strand-cleavage cycle and ligand-responsive quadruplex formation strategy for amplified and label-free detection of IFN-γ was reported with a detection limit of 0.1 pM and a visual detection limit of 20 pM by the naked eye.

Anti-tumor activity of the regenerated triple-helical polysaccharide from Dictyophora indusiata.

A triple helical polysaccharide (PD3) was isolated from Dictyophora indusiata. After denaturation in dilute NaOH solution (0.3 M) and renaturation by sequential dialysis, regenerated polysaccharide (RPD3) was obtained.

Bis[1-(eth-oxy-carbonyl-meth-yl)pyridinium] bis-(1,2-dicyano-ethene-1,2-dithiol-ato-κ(2)S,S')nickelate(II).

The asymmetric unit of the title ion-pair complex, (C(9)H(12)NO(2))(2)[Ni(C(4)N(2)S(2))(2)], contains two 1-(eth-oxy-carbonyl-meth-yl)pyridinium cations and one bis-(1,2-dicyano-ethene-1,2-dithiol-ato)nickelate(II) dianion, which exhibits a slightly distorted square-planar coordination geometry. In the crystal, the cations are linked by strong C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds into C(6) chains along [100]. The cations and anions are linked into a three-dimensional architecture by weak C-H⋯N and C-H⋯S inter-actions.