Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a rare hereditary optic nerve disease. At present, the understanding of its etiology and pathogenesis is relatively clear. With the emergence of new drugs such as idebenone and the possibility of gene therapy for LHON, it has brought hope for patients to recover. However, because genetic testing technology has not been widely developed in China, clinical misdiagnosis of LHON as optic neuritis still occurs from time to time. How to make timely identification and correct diagnosis of LHON still poses certain challenges for Chinese ophthalmologists. In addition, in terms of treatment, the choice of treatment methods and treatment costs in the pre-onset (gene mutation carriers) and different periods after the onset of LHON are also huge challenges for patients and their families.

Objective:To analyze the prognostic factors of vision of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody positive associated optic neuritis (ON) after methylprednisolone pulse therapy.Methods:A clinical observational study. A total of 32 patients (47 eyes) with MOG antibody positive ON were observed and followed up in the ophthalmology department of Beijing Tongren Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University and Beijing Puren Hospital from March 2019 to January 2022. Clinical data including the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and orbital magnetic resonance imaging were recorded. The BCVA was examined by Snellen visual acuity chart, which was finally converted into the logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) for statistical analysis. There were 22 case (38 eyes) with complete image data. All patients were treated with intravenous methylprednisolone pulse (IVMP) for 3-5 days. According to the intervention time (from onset to glucocorticoid treatment), the patients were divided into three groups: <7 d group, 7-14 d and> 14 d group, with 16, 13, 11 eyes, respectively. The median follow-up time was 28 months. After 1 week, 1, 3 and 6 months treatment, the same equipment and methods were used for relevant examinations to observe the changes of visual acuity and the factors influencing the prognosis of visual acuity after IVMP treatment. Logistic regression and linear regression were used to analyze the prognostic correlation factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the critical cut-off point of intervention timing.Results:Among the patients, 16 were male and 16 were female. The median onset age was 26 years. The onset duration time was 5-60 days. There were 18 cases (56.3%, 18/32) with abnormal serum immune indexes. The initial symptom was decreased vision with unilateral or bilateral ON. Seventeen (53.1%, 17/32) cases had unilateral ON and 15 (46.9%, 15/32) cases with bilateral ON. Thirty-six eyes (76.6%, 36/47) got optic disc edema, 37 eyes (78.7%, 37/47) accompanied by pain of ocular movement. The nadir logMAR BCVA was mean 1.69±0.13. Long T2WI signals with segmental thickening in the orbital segment of the optic nerve were obtained in 27 eyes (71.1%, 27/38) and in 24 eyes (63.2%, 24/38) with optic nerve and sheath enhancement. During the follow-up period, there were 10 cases of relapse (31.3%, 10/32). The logMAR BCVA of attacked eyes were 0.52±0.09, 0.22±0.06, 0.12±0.06, 0.10±0.06 at 1 week and 1, 3 and 6 months after IVMP treatment, respectively. The rate of BCVA improvement was the fastest at 1 week after treatment, and BCVA returned to stability at 3 months. Logistic regression analysis showed that the timing of intervention was significantly correlated with the prognosis of vision in primary onset patients (odds ratio=12.17, P=0.006), with a negative linear regression relationship ( r=-0.48, 95% confidence interval -0.71--0.17, P=0.008). Comparing the logMAR BCVA between the intervention time >14 group with the <7 group and the 7-14 group, there were statistically significant difference ( P=0.017, 0.037), respectively. The cut-off point of ROC curve to predict the optimal intervention time was 13.5 days. Other factors such as: gender, age, predisposing factor, pain of eye motion, edema of optic disc, bilateral ON, imaging changes, abnormal autoimmune indicators were not associated with the prognosis of visual acuity. Conclusion:The timing of hormone intervention in primary onset patients is an important factor affecting the prognosis of vision and the optimal intervention time window of IVMP is two weeks.

Objective:To measure the anatomical parameters of the simulated low tibial tunnel of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) based on knee CT images so as to provide clinical reference for accurate location of the tunnel.Methods:The CT images of 201 healthy knee joints collected at Department of Orthopedics, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University from June 2016 to September 2021 were used for simulation of the PCL low tibial tunnel. The anatomical parameters of the tibial tunnel were measured using the RadiAnt DICOM Viewer. The primary measures included the angle between tibial plateau and tibial tunnel (ATPT) and the perpendicular distances from the tibial tunnel entrance and exit point to the tibial plateau (L1 and L2). The secondary measures included the angle between tibial plateau and posterior slope (PSA), the angle between tibial anatomical axis and central line of tibial tunnel (ATAA), the angle between posterior tibial slope line and the central line of tibial tunnel (APST), the anterior and posterior diameter of tibial plateau (APD), the length of posterior tibial slope (LPTS), and the length of tibial tunnel (LTT). The measurement results were analyzed according to the body height (divided into 3 groups: a 1.00 to 1.60 m group, a 1.61 to 1.70 m group, and a ≥1.71 m group) and gender using the software IBM SPSS 26.Results:The primary measures: ATPT was 37.0°±4.5°, and L1 and L2 were respectively (57.8±7.4) mm and (34.5±3.3) mm. The secondary measures: PSA 128.1°±5.4°, ATAA 52.7°±4.1°, APST 89.1°±5.9°, APD was (32.9±2.6) mm, LPTS (20.5±2.4) mm, and LTT (40.9±5.7) mm. After grouping by gender, there was no significant difference in PSA between men and women ( P>0.05) while there were significant differences in the other indexes between men and women ( P<0.05). After grouping by body height, there was no significant difference in ATPT, PSA, APST or ATAA between the 3 groups (1.00 to 1.60 m group, 1.61 to 1.70 m group and ≥1.71 m group) ( P>0.05) while there were significant differences in L1, L2, APD, LPTS and LTT between the 3 groups ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Based on the knee CT images, the primary measures of PCL low tibial tunnel are as follows: the angle between tibial plateau and tibial tunnel is 37.0°±4.5°, and the perpendicular distances from the tibial tunnel entrance and exit point to the tibial plateau are (57.8±7.4) mm and (34.5±3.3) mm, respectively. Gender and body height are the important factors influencing the above measurement outcomes.

Objective:To observe the changes of serum cytokines in patients with neuromyelitis optic neuromyelitis optic spectrum disorder (NMOSD) associated optic neuritis (NMOSD-ON) before and after intravenous methylprednisolone pulse (IVMP) treatment.Methods:A prospective clinical study. From November 2020 to December 2021, 24 NMOSD-ON patients who visited the Neuro-Ophthalmology Clinic of Beijing Tongren Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University were included. Among them, 9 patients were male; 15 patients were female. According to the detection results of aquaporin 4 (AQP4) immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody (AQP4-IgG) in peripheral blood, the patients were divided into AQP4-lgG positive group and AQP4-lgG negative group, which were 10 and 14 cases respectively. Twenty healthy volunteers were selected as control group. Age ( F=0.639) and sex ( χ2=2.373) composition ratio of the three groups were compared, the difference were not statistically significant ( P=0.504, 0.333). All patients were treated with 500 mg/d or 1 000 mg/d IVMP. Peripheral venous blood of all subjects, and quantitatively analyze interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-31, IL-33, IL-17A, IL-6, IL-21, IL-23, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α level in serum with Luminex FLEX MAP 3D liquid-phase suspension chip detection system were collected. The differences among groups were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Kruskal Wallis H test. Results:Before IVMP treatment, serum IL-17A concentrations in AQP4-lgG positive group, AQP4-lgG negative group and control group were 2.39, 2.17 and 1.97 pg/ml, respectively. TNF-α concentrations were 5.60, 4.17 and 5.89 pg/ml, respectively. Compared with control group, serum IL-17A concentration in AQP4-IgG positive group was increased, while TNF-α concentration in AQP4-IgG negative group was decreased, with statistical significance ( H=12.720, 10.900; P=0.040, 0.039). The levels of IL-17A, IL-6 and other cytokines did not change significantly. After IVMP treatment, serum IL-6 in AQP4-lgG positive group and AQP4-lgG negative group were 0.72 pg/ml and 0.73 pg/ml, respectively. TNF-α concentrations were 4.17 pg/ml and 3.88 pg/ml, respectively. IFN-γ concentrations were 2.15 pg/ml and 2.55 pg/ml, respectively. Compared with before treatment, serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ in AQP4-lgG positive patients were significantly decreased, with statistical significance ( Z=-2.668, -2.547, -2.201; P=0.008, 0.011, 0.028). Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly decreased in AQP4-lgG negative patients, and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-2.501, -1.978; P=0.012, 0.048). Conclusion:Glucocorticoid may play a therapeutic role by affecting the levels of serum IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ in patients with NMOSD-ON.

Objective:To investigate the changes in the nerve fiber layer of the cornea in patients with demyelinating optic neuritis (DON) and its correlation with visual acuity.Methods:A cross-sectional study. From March 2021 to July 2022, 27 cases (39 eyes) of DON patients diagnosed in the Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology of Beijing Tongren Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University were enrolled in this study. According to the serological test results, the patients were divided into aquaporin 4 antibody associated optic neuritis (AQP4-ON group) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody associated optic neuritis (MOG-ON group), with 15 cases (19 eyes) and 12 cases (20 eyes) respectively. According to previous history of glucocorticoid treatment, the patients were divided into glucocorticoid treated group and non-glucocorticoid treated group, with 17 cases (27 eyes) and 10 cases (12 eyes) respectively. Twenty healthy volunteers (20 eyes) with age- and gender-matched were selected as the control group. All eyes underwent best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) examinations. BCVA was performed using Snellen's standard logarithmic visual acuity chart, which was converted into logarithmic minimum angle resolution (logMAR) visual acuity during statistics. The corneal nerve fiber length (CNFL), corneal nerve fiber density (CNFD), corneal nerve fiber branch length (CNBL), corneal nerve fiber branch density (CNBD) and the density of corneal dendritic cells (DC) were detected by IVCM examination. Parameter comparison between groups by t-test and Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test. The correlation between logMAR BCVA and pamameters of corneal nerve fibers were analyzed using Spearman analysis. Results:The CNFL, CNFD, and CNBL of the DON group and the control group were (10.67±2.55) mm/mm 2, (57.78±12.35) root/mm 2, (3.27±1.34) mm/mm 2, and (13.74±3.05) mm/mm 2, (70.95±13.14) root/mm 2, and (4.22±1.03) mm/mm 2, respectively; the difference in CNFL, CNFD, and CNBL between the two groups were statistically significant ( t=4.089, 3.795, 2.773; P<0.05). The CNFL, CNBL, and CNBD of the affected eyes in the MOG-ON group and AQP4-ON group were (12.02±2.13) mm/mm 2, (3.80±1.19) mm/mm 2, (47.97±8.86) fibers/mm 2, and (9.25±2.19) mm/mm 2, (2.72±1.19) mm/mm 2, (39.43±13.86) fibers/mm 2, respectively; the differences in CNFL, CNBL, and CNBD between the two groups were statistically significant ( t=-4.002, -2.706, -2.306; P<0.05). The corneal DC density of the patients in the hormone treated group and the non-hormone treated group was (24.43±8.32) and (41.22±9.86) cells/mm 2, respectively. The difference in corneal DC density between the two subgroups was statistically significant ( P<0.001). Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant negative correlation between logMAR BCVA and CNBL and CNFL in patients with DON ( r=-0.422, -0.456; P<0.05). Conclusions:There are different degrees of corneal nerve fiber damage in patients with different types of DON. There was a negative correlation between BCVA and the length of corneal nerve fibers.

Biorefinery of chemicals from straw is an effective approach to alleviate the environmental pollution caused by straw burning. In this paper, we prepared gellan gum immobilized Lactobacillus bulgaricus T15 gel beads (LA-GAGR-T15 gel beads), characterized their properties, and established a continuous cell recycle fermentation process for D-lactate (D-LA) production using the LA-GAGR-T15 gel beads. The fracture stress of LA-GAGR-T15 gel beads was (91.68±0.11) kPa, which was 125.12% higher than that of the calcium alginate immobilized T15 gel beads (calcium alginate-T15 gel beads). This indicated that the strength of LA-GAGR-T15 gel beads was stronger, and the strain was less likely to leak out. The average D-LA production was (72.90±2.79) g/L after fermentation for ten recycles (720 h) using LA-GAGR-T15 gel beads as the starting strain and glucose as the substrate, which was 33.85% higher than that of calcium alginate-T15 gel beads and 37.70% higher than that of free T15. Subsequently, glucose was replaced by enzymatically hydrolyzed corn straw and fermented for ten recycles (240 h) using LA-GAGR-T15 gel beads. The yield of D-LA reached (1.74±0.79) g/(L·h), which was much higher than that of using free bacteria. The wear rate of gel beads was less than 5% after ten recycles, which indicated that LA-GAGR is a good carrier for cell immobilization and can be widely used in industrial fermentation. This study provides basic data for the industrial production of D-LA using cell-recycled fermentation, and provides a new way for the biorefinery of D-LA from corn straw.
Fermentation ; Lactobacillus delbrueckii ; Zea mays ; Lactic Acid ; Alginates/chemistry* ; Glucose