The 2003 International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society (ISN/RPS) system for classifying patients with lupus nephritis was based on glomerular lesions exclusively, despite the fact that lupus nephritis affects all compartments of the kidney. Hence, we analyzed the tubulointerstitial lesions in patients with lupus nephritis within the different classes and subclasses of the 2003 ISN/RPS system. Among 313 patients from five centers in northern China with lupus nephritis, interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration, tubular atrophy, and interstitial fibrosis were severe in 170 patients with class IV, moderate in 55 with class III, and mild in 19 with class II and in 69 with class V disease, each with significance. The severity of tubulointerstitial lesions in classes IV-segmental and III was similar, whereas the score of interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration in patients with subclass IV-global was significantly higher than that in those with subclass IV-segmental. Interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy were each significantly more prominent in patients with both active and chronic lesions than in those with active lesions alone. The correlation coefficient ranged from 0.222 to 0.811 comparing glomerular and tubulointerstitial indices. In multivariate Cox hazard analysis of tubulointerstitial lesions, indices of interstitial infiltration, tubular atrophy, and interstitial fibrosis were confirmed as significant independent risk factors for renal outcome. Thus, we found that the 2003 ISN/RPS classification system of lupus nephritis, based on glomerular lesions, could also reflect related tubulointerstitial lesions. Hence, we suggest that the extent of tubulointerstitial lesions may be helpful in predicting renal outcome in patients with lupus nephritis.

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Background: Spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) is a rare traumatic myelopathy. Although surgery is one of the most important treatments, the surgery for SCIWORA is controversial, especially the time of surgery is a topic of controversy. Here, we investigate the effects of difference in duration from injury to surgery on the outcome of SCIWORA. Methods: This retrospective study was performed in all patients with spinal cord injury admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2013 to April 2017. Fifty-seven patients who met the study requirements were divided into 3 groups according to the duration from injury to surgery. Group A (surgery within 3 days of injury) had 18 patients, group B (surgery within 3-7 days) had 18 patients, and group C (surgery later than 7 days) had 21 patients. All the groups were compared with Mann-Whitney U test; the functional improvement of spinal cord was compared and analyzed using the ASIA sports score and ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS). Results: There was a significant improvement in the long-term AIS (final follow-up) in all the 3 groups compared to before surgery. The final follow-up recovery rate of group C was worse than group A and group B. The curative effect of operation within 7 days was significantly better than the surgery done 7 days later. The recovery rate of group C was worse than group A and B. The ASIA sports score showed that recovery was quicker in the early stage and slow in the later stage. Conclusions: The optimal schedule of surgical treatment was 3-7 days after injury, which can significantly improve the short-term and long-term follow-up effects. Longer the time to surgery from the time of injury, the worse was the prognosis.

Preeclampsia (PE) occurs specifically during pregnancy characterized by new-onset hypertension. The pathogenesis of PE was complicated, and inflammation may be central to the pathogenesis of PE. Ferulic acid (FA) is recognized to prevent cell damage and apoptosis induced by oxidative stress and inflammation. In our study, we used NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced rat model of PE to investigate whether FA improved PE and its possible mechanism. We found that FA significantly reduced blood pressure, urine volume, and urinary protein level in rats with PE. Meanwhile, FA decreased L-NAME induced higher expression of circulating TNF-α、IL-6、IL-1β and PlGF, it reduced placental TNF-α and NF-κB p65. Furthermore, FA rescued L-NAME induced decreasing expression of IL-4 and IL-10 expression in the circulation and placenta of rats. FA also ameliorated placental apoptosis in L-NAME induced rats by increasing Bcl-2 whereas decreasing Bax expression in placenta. It suggested FA as a potential candidate for the treatment of various disorders including L-NAME induced preeclampsia in rats through decreasing placental inflammation and apoptosis.

Background Unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) frustrates women of childbearing age profoundly, and effective therapies are particularly important. Objective To compare the efficacy of heparin combined with aspirin and aspirin alone for URSA. Search strategy Electronic databases (PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, Clinical key and Cochrane Library) were searched for relevant studies from database inception to August 2019. Selection criteria Studies of women of childbearing age with at least two consecutive abortions were included. Data collection and analysis Relevant items were extracted, tabulated, and subjected to STATA for data analysis. Study women were divided into group A (taking heparin plus aspirin) and group B (taking aspirin alone). The primary outcome was the rate of live birth. Main results Women from eight randomized controlled trials were included: 493 in group A and 501 in group B. The number of live births was significantly higher in group A (P=0.003). The result remained the same in subgroup analysis by presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. Among women who had a live birth, gestational age at delivery tended to be older in group B (P=0.054). No differences in birthweight or intrauterine growth restriction were observed. Adverse effects were sporadically reported. Conclusion Among women with URSA, heparin combined with aspirin increased the live birth rate as compared with aspirin alone. There was a beneficial tendency of taking aspirin‐only to prolong gestation week.

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epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (eMT) is a major process involved in tumor progression and metastasis. Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland and has been documented as a potential therapeutic agent for multiple tumors. However, the effects of melatonin on eMT during osteosarcoma (oa) development remain undefined. The present study explored the biological functions and effects of melatonin on eMT induced by transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and its underlying mechanisms in MG-63 cells. using western-blotting and immunofluorescence, it was found that the switch in e-cadherin/n-cadherin and vimentin expression was induced by TGF-β1, which was reversed by melatonin through the suppression of Snail and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), through hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HiF-1α) inhibition. These findings demonstrated that the anticancer effects of melatonin against oa MG-63 cells is through the suppression of eMT via HiF-1α/Snail/MMP-9 signaling.

Krukenberg tumors accompanied by gestational hypertension are rare and have a poor patient prognosis. A gravida 1, para 0 patient was submitted to Tianjin Medical University General Hospital (Tianjin, China) at 32 weeks gestation with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and hypertension. Diagnosis from the gastroscopic biopsy was of a gastric ulcer. A unilateral ovarian mass was identified with B-scan ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging, but was confirmed pathologically as a bilateral Krukenberg tumor. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography revealed a high radioactive uptake in the lesser curvature wall of the stomach, and postoperative pathology revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the stomach. As Krukenberg tumors are difficult to diagnose, exhibit fast progression and have a poor clinical outcome, developing a greater understanding of Krukenberg tumors is crucial. Imaging manifestations combined with serological examination may aid in early detection, which may lead to improved patient management.