Objective:To observe and analyze the correlations between aqueous humor cytokine concentrations and disorganization of retinal inner layers (DRIL), as well as postoperative visual acuity, in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM).Methods:A prospective clinical study. From November 2022 to October 2024, 40 eyes of 40 patients diagnosed with iERM at Ophthalmology Center of Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital) underwent cataract surgery alone or combined with pars plana vitrectomy (iERM group) were enrolled; 19 eyes of 19 patients undergoing cataract surgery alone during the same period served as the control group. All eyes underwent best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) testing and swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). BCVA was assessed using a logarithmic visual acuity chart and converted to the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) for statistical analysis. Central macular thickness (CMT) was measured using SS-OCT. The iERM group was further subdivided into DRIL-positive and DRIL-negative subgroups (21 eyes and 19 eyes, respectively), based on the presence or absence of DRIL. Aqueous humor samples were collected preoperatively from eyes in both the iERM and control groups. Concentrations of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AB, hepatocyte growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), placental growth factor (PLGF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), angiopoietin (Ang)-1, Ang-2, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured. Follow-up examinations using the same equipment and methods were performed at 1 month postoperatively. Aqueous cytokine levels were compared between the iERM group, control group, DRIL-positive subgroup, and DRIL-negative subgroup. Correlations between aqueous cytokine levels in the iERM group and BCVA or CMT were also analyzed. Intergroup comparisons utilized the Mann-Whitney U test; correlations between variables were assessed using Spearman's rank correlation analysis. Results:Compared to the control group, the iERM group exhibited significantly higher aqueous concentrations of TGF-β1, TGF-β3, PDGF-AB, PLGF, GDNF, ICAM-1, Ang-1, and TNF-α ( P<0.05). Compared to the DRIL-negative subgroup, the DRIL-positive subgroup showed significantly elevated aqueous concentrations of TGF-β3, PDGF-AB, PLGF, GDNF, ICAM-1, Ang-1, Ang-2, TNF-α, and IL-6 ( P<0.05). Significant differences were observed in logMAR BCVA ( P=0.028) and CMT ( P<0.001) within the iERM group between preoperative and 1-month postoperative measurements. LogMAR BCVA differed significantly between the DRIL-positive and DRIL-negative subgroups ( P=0.048). Correlation analysis revealed that baseline aqueous levels of VEGF-A and IL-6 in eyes with DRIL were positively correlated with postoperative BCVA ( r=0.324, 0.452; P=0.042, 0.003). No significant correlation was found between CMT and any cytokine ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Aqueous humor cytokines are closely associated with DRIL in iERM patients. IL-6 and VEGF-A may serve as potential predictive biomarkers for early postoperative visual recovery.

Clostridioides difficile infection(CDI)is the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea and has be-come a major challenge in the global public health field.In recent years,it has been found that nutrients and gut mi-crobes play key roles in regulating growth,metabolic activity,and virulence expression of Clostridioides difficile.However,current research focuses on the independent effects of a single nutrient or gut microbe,systematic under-standing on the interactions between them is still lacking.This paper reviews the specific effect of different nutrients on Clostridioides difficile,explores how other gut microbes inhibit the growth of Clostridioides difficile by com-peting or metabolizing nutrients.In addition,this paper also discusses the application of emerging technologies in CDI research and their potentiality in clinical intervention strategies.Future research needs to integrate multi-omics data and artificial intelligence analysis,deeply analyze the complex interactive network of nutrient-microbe-host,and provide new ideas for precise prevention and treatment of CDI.

Objective:To evaluate the role of tubulin tyrosin ligase like-6 (TTLL6)-mediated microtubule polyglutamylation and Spastin(a microtubule cleaving protein)-induced excessive microtubule cleavage in the developmental impairment of dendritic spines in neonatal mice following repeated sevoflurane anesthesia, by utilizing TTLL6 conditional knockout mice.Methods:Fifty SPF female TTLL6 brain tissue-specific knockout (TTLL6 CKO: Camk2-Cre + ; TTLL6 f/f) and fifty control (TTLL6 CON: TTLL6 f/f) mice with C57BL/6J background, aged 6 days old were selected.TTLL6 CKO mice were divided into TTLL6 CON control group and TTLL6 CON sevoflurane group, and TTLL6 CKO mice were divided into TTLL6 CKO control group and TTLL6 CKO sevoflurane group, with 25 mice in each group by random block method.Mice in the sevoflurane groups were exposed to 3% sevoflurane with 60% O 2 for 2 hours daily on postnatal days 6, 8, and 10.The mice in control groups received only 60% O 2 under the same condition.The polyGlu-Tubulin and postsynaptic density 95(PSD95) protein expression were detected using Western blot. The expressions of TTLL6, Spastin, and α-Tubulin were assessed via immunofluorescence.Golgi staining and electron microscopy were employed to observe the density of hippocampal dendritic spines and synaptic conditions. The Morris water maze test was used to evaluate spatial memory capabilities. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 8.0 software. Results:(1) Behavioral results showed significant time and group interactions among the four groups in terms of latency to find the platform ( F=8.22, P<0.001).Mice in the TTLL6 CON sevoflurane group had a significantly longer escape latency on days 3-7 compared with the TTLL6 CON control group (all P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between the TTLL6 CKO sevoflurane group and the TTLL6 CKO control group (all P>0.05). The number of platform crossings differed significantly among the four groups ( H=11.95, P=0.007).The TTLL6 CON sevoflurane group had significantly fewer crossing times than the TTLL6 CON control group ( P<0.05), but no significant difference was observed between the TTLL6 CKO sevoflurane group and the TTLL6 CKO control group ( P>0.05). (2) Golgi staining and electron microscopy results revealed significant differences in dendritic spine density and synapse number among the four groups( F=29.00, 41.94, both P<0.001). The dendritic spine density ((5.83±0.40)/10 μm) and the number of synapses ((3.67±0.58)/10 μm) in the TTLL6 CON sevoflurane group were both significantly lower than those in the TTLL6 CON control group ((12.87±1.70)/10 μm, (9.33±0.57)/10 μm)(both P<0.05). In contrast, there was no statistically significant difference between the TTLL6 CKO sevoflurane group and TTLL6 CKO control group (both P>0.05). (3) Immunofluorescence results showed significant differences in the percentage of TTLL6 and Spastin and α-Tubulin co-expressed positive cells in the CA3 region of the hippocampus among the four groups of mice ( F=215.20, 26.08, both P<0.001). The percentage of TTLL6 and Spastin and α-Tubulin co-expressed positive cells in the TTLL6 CON sevoflurane group ((16.75±1.81) %, (47.98±8.42) %) were significantly higher than those in the TTLL6 CON control group ((2.44±0.58) %, (20.07±4.54) %)(both P<0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference between the TTLL6 CKO sevoflurane group and TTLL6 CKO control group ( P>0.05). (4) Western blot results indicated significant differences in the expression of polyGlu-Tubulin and PSD95 proteins in the hippocampal tissue among the four groups of mice ( F=19.66, 8.57, both P<0.001). The TTLL6 CON sevoflurane group had higher polyGlu-Tubulin expression (0.86±0.19) and lower PSD95 expression (0.61±0.13) compared to the TTLL6 CON control group (0.51±0.11, 1.01±0.07) (both P<0.05).However, there was no significant difference between the TTLL6 CKO sevoflurane group and the TTLL6 CKO control group ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The mechanism underlying long-term cognitive impairment in developing brain of neonatal mice caused by repeated sevoflurane anesthesia may relate to the upregulation of TTLL6-induced microtubule polyglutamylation and accelerated Spastin-mediated microtubule severing, which ultimately leads to abnormal dendritic spine development.

Objective:To evaluate the role of tubulin tyrosin ligase like-6 (TTLL6)-mediated microtubule polyglutamylation and Spastin(a microtubule cleaving protein)-induced excessive microtubule cleavage in the developmental impairment of dendritic spines in neonatal mice following repeated sevoflurane anesthesia, by utilizing TTLL6 conditional knockout mice.Methods:Fifty SPF female TTLL6 brain tissue-specific knockout (TTLL6 CKO: Camk2-Cre + ; TTLL6 f/f) and fifty control (TTLL6 CON: TTLL6 f/f) mice with C57BL/6J background, aged 6 days old were selected.TTLL6 CKO mice were divided into TTLL6 CON control group and TTLL6 CON sevoflurane group, and TTLL6 CKO mice were divided into TTLL6 CKO control group and TTLL6 CKO sevoflurane group, with 25 mice in each group by random block method.Mice in the sevoflurane groups were exposed to 3% sevoflurane with 60% O 2 for 2 hours daily on postnatal days 6, 8, and 10.The mice in control groups received only 60% O 2 under the same condition.The polyGlu-Tubulin and postsynaptic density 95(PSD95) protein expression were detected using Western blot. The expressions of TTLL6, Spastin, and α-Tubulin were assessed via immunofluorescence.Golgi staining and electron microscopy were employed to observe the density of hippocampal dendritic spines and synaptic conditions. The Morris water maze test was used to evaluate spatial memory capabilities. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 8.0 software. Results:(1) Behavioral results showed significant time and group interactions among the four groups in terms of latency to find the platform ( F=8.22, P<0.001).Mice in the TTLL6 CON sevoflurane group had a significantly longer escape latency on days 3-7 compared with the TTLL6 CON control group (all P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between the TTLL6 CKO sevoflurane group and the TTLL6 CKO control group (all P>0.05). The number of platform crossings differed significantly among the four groups ( H=11.95, P=0.007).The TTLL6 CON sevoflurane group had significantly fewer crossing times than the TTLL6 CON control group ( P<0.05), but no significant difference was observed between the TTLL6 CKO sevoflurane group and the TTLL6 CKO control group ( P>0.05). (2) Golgi staining and electron microscopy results revealed significant differences in dendritic spine density and synapse number among the four groups( F=29.00, 41.94, both P<0.001). The dendritic spine density ((5.83±0.40)/10 μm) and the number of synapses ((3.67±0.58)/10 μm) in the TTLL6 CON sevoflurane group were both significantly lower than those in the TTLL6 CON control group ((12.87±1.70)/10 μm, (9.33±0.57)/10 μm)(both P<0.05). In contrast, there was no statistically significant difference between the TTLL6 CKO sevoflurane group and TTLL6 CKO control group (both P>0.05). (3) Immunofluorescence results showed significant differences in the percentage of TTLL6 and Spastin and α-Tubulin co-expressed positive cells in the CA3 region of the hippocampus among the four groups of mice ( F=215.20, 26.08, both P<0.001). The percentage of TTLL6 and Spastin and α-Tubulin co-expressed positive cells in the TTLL6 CON sevoflurane group ((16.75±1.81) %, (47.98±8.42) %) were significantly higher than those in the TTLL6 CON control group ((2.44±0.58) %, (20.07±4.54) %)(both P<0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference between the TTLL6 CKO sevoflurane group and TTLL6 CKO control group ( P>0.05). (4) Western blot results indicated significant differences in the expression of polyGlu-Tubulin and PSD95 proteins in the hippocampal tissue among the four groups of mice ( F=19.66, 8.57, both P<0.001). The TTLL6 CON sevoflurane group had higher polyGlu-Tubulin expression (0.86±0.19) and lower PSD95 expression (0.61±0.13) compared to the TTLL6 CON control group (0.51±0.11, 1.01±0.07) (both P<0.05).However, there was no significant difference between the TTLL6 CKO sevoflurane group and the TTLL6 CKO control group ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The mechanism underlying long-term cognitive impairment in developing brain of neonatal mice caused by repeated sevoflurane anesthesia may relate to the upregulation of TTLL6-induced microtubule polyglutamylation and accelerated Spastin-mediated microtubule severing, which ultimately leads to abnormal dendritic spine development.

Clostridioides difficile infection(CDI)is the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea and has be-come a major challenge in the global public health field.In recent years,it has been found that nutrients and gut mi-crobes play key roles in regulating growth,metabolic activity,and virulence expression of Clostridioides difficile.However,current research focuses on the independent effects of a single nutrient or gut microbe,systematic under-standing on the interactions between them is still lacking.This paper reviews the specific effect of different nutrients on Clostridioides difficile,explores how other gut microbes inhibit the growth of Clostridioides difficile by com-peting or metabolizing nutrients.In addition,this paper also discusses the application of emerging technologies in CDI research and their potentiality in clinical intervention strategies.Future research needs to integrate multi-omics data and artificial intelligence analysis,deeply analyze the complex interactive network of nutrient-microbe-host,and provide new ideas for precise prevention and treatment of CDI.

Objective:To observe and analyze the correlations between aqueous humor cytokine concentrations and disorganization of retinal inner layers (DRIL), as well as postoperative visual acuity, in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM).Methods:A prospective clinical study. From November 2022 to October 2024, 40 eyes of 40 patients diagnosed with iERM at Ophthalmology Center of Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital) underwent cataract surgery alone or combined with pars plana vitrectomy (iERM group) were enrolled; 19 eyes of 19 patients undergoing cataract surgery alone during the same period served as the control group. All eyes underwent best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) testing and swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). BCVA was assessed using a logarithmic visual acuity chart and converted to the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) for statistical analysis. Central macular thickness (CMT) was measured using SS-OCT. The iERM group was further subdivided into DRIL-positive and DRIL-negative subgroups (21 eyes and 19 eyes, respectively), based on the presence or absence of DRIL. Aqueous humor samples were collected preoperatively from eyes in both the iERM and control groups. Concentrations of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AB, hepatocyte growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), placental growth factor (PLGF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), angiopoietin (Ang)-1, Ang-2, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured. Follow-up examinations using the same equipment and methods were performed at 1 month postoperatively. Aqueous cytokine levels were compared between the iERM group, control group, DRIL-positive subgroup, and DRIL-negative subgroup. Correlations between aqueous cytokine levels in the iERM group and BCVA or CMT were also analyzed. Intergroup comparisons utilized the Mann-Whitney U test; correlations between variables were assessed using Spearman's rank correlation analysis. Results:Compared to the control group, the iERM group exhibited significantly higher aqueous concentrations of TGF-β1, TGF-β3, PDGF-AB, PLGF, GDNF, ICAM-1, Ang-1, and TNF-α ( P<0.05). Compared to the DRIL-negative subgroup, the DRIL-positive subgroup showed significantly elevated aqueous concentrations of TGF-β3, PDGF-AB, PLGF, GDNF, ICAM-1, Ang-1, Ang-2, TNF-α, and IL-6 ( P<0.05). Significant differences were observed in logMAR BCVA ( P=0.028) and CMT ( P<0.001) within the iERM group between preoperative and 1-month postoperative measurements. LogMAR BCVA differed significantly between the DRIL-positive and DRIL-negative subgroups ( P=0.048). Correlation analysis revealed that baseline aqueous levels of VEGF-A and IL-6 in eyes with DRIL were positively correlated with postoperative BCVA ( r=0.324, 0.452; P=0.042, 0.003). No significant correlation was found between CMT and any cytokine ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Aqueous humor cytokines are closely associated with DRIL in iERM patients. IL-6 and VEGF-A may serve as potential predictive biomarkers for early postoperative visual recovery.

AIM: To study the perception of first-order grating acuity and second-order spatial contrast sensitivity in patients with monocular anisometropia amblyopia.METHODS:A total of 715 children(715 eyes)diagnosed as monocular anisometropia amblyopia in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2022 were collected as amblyopia group, and 745 children(745 eyes)with normal corrected visual acuity were collected. The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), first-order grating acuity and/or second-order spatial contrast sensitivity were measured, repectively. The perception ability of amblyopia patients to first-order grating acuity and second-order spatial contrast sensitivity were analyzed.RESULTS:There were significant differences between amblyopia group and normal control group in the perception of first-order grating acuity(11.58±6.10 vs. 20.27±3.47, P<0.001)and second-order spatial contrast sensitivity(0.33±0.16 vs 0.12±0.04, P<0.001). And there were significant differences between mild-to-moderate amblyopia and severe amblyopia patients in first-order grating acuity(12.10±6.23 vs. 8.13±3.70, P<0.001)and second-order spatial contrast sensitivity(0.32±0.16 vs. 0.37±0.17, P<0.05).CONCLUSION: The first-order and second-order visual pathway of the cerebral cortex in children with monocular anisometropia amblyopia have different degrees of damage. The injury of severe amblyopia is more serious than that of mild-to-moderate amblyopia.

Objective To observe the pathological changes of cerebellar injury in rats with alcoholism.Methods An animal model of chronic alcoholism was established in Wistar male rats by gavage of 50%edible alcohol at increasing doses for 4 weeks.The pathological changes of cerebellar injury in rats after alcoholism were observed using an optical mi-croscope and a transmission electron microscope.Results Optical microscopy in rats with alcoholism showed signifi-cantly reduced number of granule cells and Purkinje cells in the cerebellum,and significant cell degeneration,especially in Purkinje cells.Electron microscopy showed significantly reduced organelles,irregularly shaped nucleus,and unobvi-ous and irregularly shaped nucleolus in cerebellar capillary endothelial cells.Conclusion Alcoholism induces damages to the cerebellar cells and their ultrastructure,providing a basic theoretical basis for the resulting motor and cognitive dys-function.

Objective:To investigate the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic simultaneous bilateral adrenalectomy in treating ectopic ACTH syndrome (ACTH)caused by medullary thyroid carcinoma(MTC).Methods:A 56-year-old male patient was admitted after MTC surgery and 7 months of general fatigue. The patient had a history of two open thyroid surgeries for medullary thyroid carcinoma, with previous pathological reports indicating lymph node metastasis in the upper mediastinum and mediastinum, accompanied by weak cytoplasmic expression of ACTH and negative CRH staining. After the operation, the patient developed diabetes, hypertension, and hypokalemia. Upon admission, the patient presented with a blood pressure reading of 200/95 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa), a weight of 61.5 kg, a height of 160 cm, a body mass index (BMI)of 24.02 kg/cm 2, and a waist circumference of 83 cm. Laboratory tests revealed the following: blood potassium level of 2.71 mmol/L, blood calcium level of 1.47 mmol/L, parathyroid hormone level of 6.0 pg/ml, fasting blood glucose level of 10.51 mmol/L, glycated hemoglobin level of 8.2%, blood calcitonin level exceeding 2 000 pg/ml, and blood CEA level of 70.8 μg/L. The plasma ACTH levels at 8∶00, 16∶00, and 24∶00 were 189.0, 125.0, and 65.0 pg/ml, respectively. Serum cortisol levels at 08∶00, 16∶00, and 24∶00 were 429.30, 408.14, and 446.61 μg/L, respectively. The 24-hour urine free cortisol measurement was 1 200 μg, and after the midnight 1mg dexamethasone suppression test at 8∶00, the plasma ACTH level was 183.0 pg/ml, and the serum cortisol level was 538.27 μg/L. The aldosterone level in standing position after 2 hours was 8.2 pg/ml. There were no significant abnormality in catecholamine hormone detection or thyroid function in blood and urine samples. An 18F-FDG-PET/CT examination showed multiple lymph node metastases in the neck, while an abdominal CT scan revealed bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. Enhanced MRI revealed pituitary gland thinning, and lung CT and sputum culture examinations showed scattered multiple lung infections. After a multidisciplinary discussion, the patient was diagnosed with EAS, postoperative MTC metastasis, diabetes, hypertension, hypokalemia, pulmonary infection, mild anemia, liver dysfunction, hypoparathyroidism, and hypocalcemia. The patient were accepted laparoscopic bilateral adrenalectomy via an abdominal approach under general anesthesia. The left adrenal gland was removed first, followed by the right adrenal gland after repositioning. Results:The surgery was successful with a surgical duration of approximately 60 minutes and an intraoperative bleeding volume of about 20 ml. No surgical complications occurred during the perioperative period. Pathological examination confirmed nodular hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex and bilateral adrenal medullary hyperplasia with negative ACTH staining. After a 3-month postoperative follow-up, blood calcitonin levels remained above 2000 pg/ml. The blood ACTH levels at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery were 183.0, 220.0, and 731.0 pg/ml, respectively. However, hypertension, diabetes, and hypokalemia rapidly improved. One month after surgery, blood pressure was 100/80 mmHg, fasting blood glucose was 4.4 mmol/L, and blood potassium was 3.87 mmol/L. Pulmonary infection showed improvement, and no adrenal crisis occurred. Glucocorticoid replacement therapy consisted of 20 mg of hydrocortisone tablets in the morning and 10 mg in the afternoon, and thyroid hormone replacement therapy involved daily administration of 100 μg of levothyroxine. Genetic testing revealed heterozygous mutations in the Ret gene. The patient is currently undergoing clinical trial treatment with Ret inhibitors.Conclusions:Based on the data from this case and existing literature reports, laparoscopic simultaneous bilateral adrenalectomy might be safe and effective treatment option for EAS caused by unresectable MTC metastasis. It can correct hypertension, diabetes, and hypokalemia and increase the opportunity for MTC treatment.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) inhibitors combined with bevacizumab in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) based on platinum-containing dual therapy. METHODS Retrieved from CNKI,Wanfang,VIP,Web of Science,PubMed and other Chinese and English databases,cohort studies or randomized controlled trial studies on the treatment of advanced NSCLC with platinum-containing double agents in combination with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and bevacizumab (trial group) versus platinum-containing double agents with or without PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor or bevacizumab (control group) were collected from the inception to April 25,2024. After screening literature,extracting data and evaluating quality,meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed by using RevMan 5.4.1 software. RESULTS A total of 15 pieces of literature were included,involving 13 clinical studies with a total of 3282 patients. Compared with the control group,partial response rate[RR=0.75,95％CI(0.68,0.82),P<0.00001],complete response rate[RR=0.47,95％CI(0.29,0.76),P=0.002],progressive disease rate[RR=1.23,95％CI(1.11,1.37),P<0.0001],objective response rate (ORR)[RR=0.72,95％CI(0.67,0.79),P<0.00001]and disease control rate (DCR)[RR=0.85,95％CI (0.77,0.95),P=0.003]were higher in the trial group. There was no statistically significant difference in the stable disease rate[RR=1.25,95％CI (0.86,1.83),P=0.25]or overall adverse drug reaction incidence rate[RR=0.95,95％CI (0.90,1.00),P=0.07]between the two groups of patients. Sensitivity analyses showed robust and reliable results for all outcome indicators. CONCLUSIONS PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with bevacizumab based on platinum-containing dual therapy in the treatment of advanced NSCLC can improve patients' clinical benefits,such as ORR and DCR,without increasing the risk of adverse drug reaction.