Perineural invasion (PNI) by tumor cells is a key phenotype of highly-invasive oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Since Schwann cells (SCs) and fibroblasts maintain the physiological homeostasis of the peripheral nervous system, and we have focused on cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) for decades, it's imperative to elucidate the impact of CAFs on SCs in PNI⁺ OSCCs. We describe a disease progression-driven shift of PNI^- towards PNI⁺ during the progression of early-stage OSCC (31%, n = 125) to late-stage OSCC (53%, n = 97), characterized by abundant CAFs and nerve demyelination. CAFs inhibited SC proliferation/migration and reduced neurotrophic factors and myelin in vitro, and this involved up-regulated ER stress and decreased MAPK signals. Moreover, CAFs also aggravated the paralysis of the hind limb and PNI in vivo. Unexpectedly, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) was exclusively expressed on CAFs and up-regulated in metastatic OSCC. The LIF inhibitor EC330 restored CAF-induced SC inactivation. Thus, OSCC-derived CAFs inactivate SCs to aggravate nerve injury and PNI development.
Schwann Cells/metabolism* ; Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Humans ; Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts/metabolism* ; Animals ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/metabolism* ; Neoplasm Invasiveness/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Mice ; Cell Movement/physiology* ; Cell Proliferation/physiology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Leukemia Inhibitory Factor/metabolism* ; Middle Aged

Retinal vein occlusion(RVO)is the second most common blinding retinal vascular disease, and its secondary macular edema(ME)is an important cause of visual function impairment in patients. Intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)drugs serves as the first-line treatment, yet it is confronted with such issues as the need for repeated injections and non-response in some patients. Imaging and laboratory biomarkers play a crucial role in the early accurate diagnosis, prediction of disease progression, and evaluation of visual prognosis of RVO-ME. This study systematically reviews the research progress of imaging and laboratory biomarkers related to the prognosis of RVO-ME after anti-VEGF treatment in recent years, covering imaging biomarkers like central retinal thickness and ellipsoid zone integrity, as well as laboratory biomarkers such as serum APLN and aqueous humor IL-6. It summarizes the associations between different biomarkers and the prognosis of anti-VEGF therapy, aiming to provide a basis for the early accurate assessment and optimization of individualized treatment for RVO-ME patients, which holds significant clinical reference value.

BACKGROUND:Transcranial magneto-acoustic-electrical stimulation is a novel non-invasive neural regulation technique that utilizes the induced electric field generated by the coupling effect of ultrasound and static magnetic field to regulate the discharge activity of the nervous system.However,the mechanism by which it affects synaptic plasticity in the brain is still not enough. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of transcranial magneto-acoustic-electrical stimulation intensity on synaptic plasticity of the prefrontal cortex neural network in mice. METHODS:(1)Animal experiment:Twenty-four C57 mice were equally and randomly divided into four groups:the control group receiving pseudo-stimulation,the 6.35 W/cm2 stimulation group receiving coupled stimulation of 0.3 T,6.35 W/cm2,the 17.36 W/cm2 stimulation group receiving coupled stimulation of 0.3 T,17.36 W/cm2,and the 56.25 W/cm2 stimulation group receiving coupled stimulation of 0.3 T,56.25 W/cm2.The local field potential signals and behavioral correctness were recorded during the execution of T-maze in mice.(2)Modeling and simulation experiments:A neural network model of the prefrontal cortex in mice stimulated by transcranial magneto-acoustic-electrical stimulation was constructed to compare the structural connectivity characteristics of the neural network under different stimulation intensities. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Transcranial magneto-acoustic-electrical stimulation could effectively shorten the behavior learning time,improve the working memory ability of mice(P＜0.05),and continue to stimulate the frontal lobe of mice after learning behavior.There was no significant difference in the accuracy of the T-maze behavioral experiment among the experimental groups(P＞0.1).Analysis of local field potential signals in the frontal lobe of mice revealed that transcranial magneto-acoustic-electrical stimulation promoted energy enhancement of β and γ rhythms.As the stimulation intensity increased,there was an asynchronous decrease in β and γ rhythms.Through β-γ phase amplitude coupling,it was found that stimuli could enhance the neural network's ability to adapt to new information and task requirements.Modeling and simulation experiments found that stimulation could enhance the discharge level of the neural network,increase the long-term synaptic weight level,and decrease the short-term synaptic weight level only when the stimulation intensity was high.To conclude,there is a complex nonlinear relationship between different stimulus intensities and the functional structure of neural networks.This neural regulation technique may provide new possibilities for the treatment of related neurological diseases such as synaptic dysfunction and neural network abnormalities.

Dry eye is a chronic ocular surface disease caused by multiple factors. It is caused by the instability of tear film and the imbalance of the microenvironment of ocular surface, and may be accompanied by ocular surface inflammation, damage, and abnormal nerve sensation. The instability of tear film is its core characteristic. Mucin is an important component of the tear film and plays a role in stabilizing the tear film. The reduction of its secretion and the change of its structure lead to the occurrence and development of dry eye. The intracellular Ca2+ signal is the key to controlling the secretion of water and enzymes by exocrine glands. A decrease in the Ca2+ signal can cause dry eye. Conjunctival goblet cells are the main cells that secrete mucin. By activating the intracellular PLC-IP3-Ca2+ pathway, RyRs pathway, cAMP signaling pathway, P2X receptor, BLT1 and ChemR23 receptors, cholinergic receptor, and ALX signaling pathway, the content of Ca2+ can be increased, and the replenishment of mucin granules can be accelerated, thereby relieving the symptoms of dry eye. The Ca2+ signaling pathway may be an important target for the treatment of dry eye. This article reviews the role of mucin in dry eye and the influence of the Ca2+ signal on the secretion of mucin by conjunctival goblet cells.

Objective To analyze the epidemiological burden of age-related macular degeneration(AMD)in China and low-,middle-,and high-socio-demographic index(SDI)countries,thereby providing a theoretical foundation for the prevention and control of AMD.Methods The data published by Global Burden of Disease(GBD)from 1990 to 2021,in-cluding the number of cases,prevalence,disability-adjusted life years(DALYs),and DALYs rate,were utilized to analyze the characteristics of AMD in China and low-,middle-,and high-SDI countries and assess the burden of AMD and its corre-lation with SDI.Results In 2021,the number of patients with AMD and DALYs in China ranked first in the world.Be-sides,the age-standardized prevalence rate(ASPR)and age-standardized DALYs rate(ASDR)in China ranked 46th and 64th in the world,respectively.The number of patients with AMD and DALYs in high-SDI countries were significantly lower than those in middle-and low-SDI countries.The ASPR and ASDR in China were higher than those in high-SDI countries but lower than those in low-SDI countries,and both exceeded the global averages.The prevalence of AMD among people aged 55 years and above was significantly higher.In high-SDI countries,the highest prevalence of AMD was observed a-mong people aged 80 years or above.The prevalence of AMD in China and middle-SDI countries peaked among people aged 65-69 years;whereas that in low-SDI countries peaked among people aged 75-79 years.The AMD burden in females was significantly higher than that in males.The global number of AMD patients exhibited an increasing trend from 1990 to 2021,with the fastest increase observed in China(3.11-fold).The ASPR in China showed a wave-like increasing trend,while that in low-,middle-,and high-SDI countries showed a decreasing trend during the same period.The overall DALY showed an increasing trend,and the increase in the DALYs in China(2.84-fold)exceeded that in low-,middle-,and high-SDI countries.However,the overall ASDR declined,with the most significant decline observed in high-SDI countries.The AS-DR in China has recently rebounded after a wave-like decline from 1990 to 2021.The analysis results of the slope index of inequality(SII)and concentration index(CI)showed that the gap in the AMD burden between high-income and low-in-come countries widened progressively from 1990 to 2021,with the burden being more severe in low-SDI countries.Conclu-sion In 2021,the number of patients with AMD and DALYs in China ranked first in the world.The overall disease burden of AMD in China was between that of high-and low-SDI countries but was higher than global averages.The prevalence of AMD among people aged 55 years and above was significantly higher,and the burden was higher for females than for males.From 1990 to 2021,the number of patients with AMD and the prevalence of this disease in China exhibited an in-creasing trend,while those in low-,middle-,and high-SDI countries showed a decreasing trend.The overall DALYs in-creased,while the overall ASDR decreased.The gap in the AMD burden between high-income and low-income countries widened,and the burden was more severe in low-SDI countries.It was concluded that the burden of AMD was closely re-lated to age,gender,and SDI,and that its distribution characteristics and trends should be considered in the formulation of prevention and control strategies.

Objective To investigate the protective effects of Ligilactobacillus salivarius Li01(L.salivarius Li01)against DNA damage induced by Helicobacter pylori(Hp),Benzo(a)pyrene(BaP),and Hp+BaP,and to evaluate the probiotic properties of L.salivarius Li01.Methods After 1 week of adaptive feeding,specific pathogen-free male Mongolian gerbils were randomly assigned to groups and subjected to intragastric administration of Hp,BaP,and Hp+BaP for model induction.At week 32 post model establishment,therapeutic L.salivarius Li01 was administered intragastrically.At week 36,peripheral blood samples were collected from each group for the comet assay,while liver tissues were collected and tested for Cyp1a1 gene expression levels.Results Compared with those in the control group,the comet tail length,％tail DNA,and hepatic Cyp1a1 expression levels were significantly increased in the Hp,BaP,and Hp+BaP groups(P＜0.0001).Among these,the comet tail length,olive tail moment,％tail DNA,and hepatic Cyp1a1 expression levels were significantly higher in the Hp+BaP group than in the Hp and BaP groups(P＜0.05).Following intervention with L.salivarius Li01,the comet tail length,olive tail moment,％tail DNA,and hepatic Cyp1a1 expression levels were significantly reduced in each group(P＜0.001).Conclusions Hp infection,BaP exposure,and the Hp+BaP combination induced DNA damage in the peripheral lymphocytes of Mongolian gerbils,with the Hp+BaP combination showing synergistic damage.L.salivarius Li01 had a protective effect against DNA damage caused by Hp,BaP,and Hp+BaP.

Tissue-resident memory T cells(TRM)are a key immune memory cell type responsible for the recurrence of many skin diseases.TRM cells remain in the skin tissue following infection or injury and maintain immune memory by forming a memory reservoir.When the same or similar external stimuli are encountered again,TRM cells can be rapidly activated,releasing inflammatory cytokines and cytotoxic substances,leading to local tissue damage and/or disease recurrence.The formation and function of TRM cells are regulated by various factors,such as T cell receptor signals,cytokines,co-stimulatory molecules,etc.Furthermore,TRM cells may exhibit different phenotypes and functions in different types of skin diseases.Therefore,understanding the characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of TRM cells is of great significance for studying the mechanisms of skin disease recurrence as well as for developing therapeutic strategies targeting TRM cells.

Pathological myopic choroidal neovascularization(PM-CNV)is a common complication leading to vision loss in patients with pathological myopia.Its pathogenesis involves various factors,including mechanical traction,hypoxia,and inflammation.Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy has been proven to be effective in the treatment of PM-CNV.Clinical trials have demonstrated that anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs,such as ranibizumab,aflibercept,and conbercept,can improve the vision of patients with PM-CNV,each with its characteristics and applicable scope.This article reviews the latest advancements in drug treatment for PM-CNV,aiming to provide valuable reference for the clinical management of this disease.

Objective To assess the global,regional,and national burdens of eye cancer between 1990 and 2021,examine its change trends with the age,sex,geographic location,and socio-demographic index(SDI)level,and provide scientific evidence for the development of eye cancer prevention and control strategies.Methods Based on the data from the Global Burden of Disease(GBD)study,the global burden of eye cancer was evaluated using the indicator system inclu-ding incidence,prevalence,mortality,and disability-adjusted life years(DALYs).The change trend of the burden of eye cancer with time was quantified with Join-point regression.Frontier analysis methods were used to evaluate the relationship between the burdens of eye cancer with SDI.Results From 1990 to 2021,the global incidence,age-standardized inci-dence rate(ASIR),prevalence and age-standardized prevalence rate(ASPR)of eye cancer showed an upward trend over time.Conversely,the mortality,age-standardized mortality rate(ASMR),DALYs,and age-standardized DALY rate(ASDR)declined during the same period.All the above indicators in males were higher than those in females.Regionally,Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa bore the highest disease burden,while Oceania had the lowest.It should be noted that East Asia experienced the most significant increase in ASIR,and Southern Sub-Saharan Africa showed the greatest rise in ASPR.Meanwhile,Southern Latin America demonstrated the most pronounced decrease in both ASIR and ASPR.East Asia also re-corded the largest reductions in ASMR and ASDR.At the national level,Malawi had the highest disease burden in 2021.To-kelau exhibited the most substantial increase while Norway showed the greatest decrease in disease burden.Age-specific analysis revealed a bimodal distribution,with children under 5 years and adults over 80 being the most affected groups.Furthermore,SDI-based analysis indicated a wave-like relationship between SDI and ASIR/ASPR,and both ASMR and AS-DR declined with the increasing SDI.Conclusion The global burden of eye cancer shows a decline trend generally.The difference in the burden of eye cancer between regional and national levels may be related to medical resource allocation and public health policies.The results of this study provide scientific evidence for the development of tailored eye cancer prevention and control strategies.It is recommended that more attention should be paid to high-burden regions,resource distribution should be optimized,early screening should be enhanced,and targeted interventions for different age and gen-der groups should be implemented.

Objective: To utilize machine learning(ML) algorithms to develop accurate and effective prediction models for TAC dose/weight-adjusted trough concentration(C0/D). Methods: Data were collected on 264 TAC blood concentration monitoring data from 72 patients undergoing kidney transplantation. The effects of population statistical data, clinical features, combined medication, and ultrasound feature parameters on TAC C0/D were analyzed. Features with a significance level less than 0.05 in the univariate analysis of TAC C0/D were selected for inclusion in the random forest(RF) algorithm to identify significant features. These features were interpreted using partial dependency plots. Five ML algorithms, including RF, support vector regression(SVR), extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost), decision trees(DT) and artificial neural networks(ANN), were employed to establish the TAC C0/D prediction model. Hyper-parameter tuning was performed on the RF model that performed the best. Results : Ten characteristic variables with importance scores>5 were retained and included in the ML model: transglutaminase, red blood cell count, blood urea nitrogen, weight, serum creatinine, renal segmental arterial resistance index, renal aortic resistance index, hematocrit, renal pelvic Young′s modulus value, and time after transplantation. The partial dependence plots showed that all 10 important variables screened were positively correlated with TAC C0/D. The tuned RF model outperformed the other models with aR2of 0.81, aRMSEof 43.93, and aMAEof 29.97. Conclusion The ML models demonstrate good performance in predicting TAC C0/D and provide innovative interpretations using partial dependence plot. The optimized RF model shows optimal performance and offers a novel tool for individualized medication adjustment for TAC in renal transplant patients.