Objective To investigate the impact of dexamethasone(DEX)on diaphragmatic atrophy caused by acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS)and its correlation with diaphragmatic protein metabolism.Methods Twenty healthy male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly assigned to control,ARDS model,low-dose DEX,and high-dose DEX group,with each group consisting of five rats.ARDS was induced in the rats by intratracheal administration of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)at 4 mg/kg.Conversely,intratracheal saline was administered to the control group at 2 mL/kg.Following the induction of the model,an intraperitoneal injection of DEX at 1 mg·kg-1·d-1 was administered to the low-dose DEX group.Conversely,DEX at 5 mg·kg-1·d-1 was administered to the high-dose group for 7 consecutive days.Subsequently,on the eighth day of the experiment,the diaphragmatic weight of all rats was measured.Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(PCR)was utilized to assess the mRNA expression of interleukins(IL-1β,IL-18)in each group.Western blotting was employed to determine the protein expression levels of nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)p65,NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3),caspase-1,Gasdermin D(GSDMD),myosin heavy chain 2(Myh2),and F-box protein 32(Fbxo32).Additionally,immunohistochemistry was utilized to evaluate the ratio of fast to slow muscle fibers in the diaphragm.Results The ARDS model group showed significant reductions in body weight,diaphragm weight,fast muscle fibers,and Myh2 protein expression compared to the control group[body weight(g):266±17 vs.292±15,diaphragm weight(g):0.77±0.02 vs.0.92±0.08,fast muscle fibers:(74±1)%vs.(78±3)%,Myh2 protein expression(Avalue):0.75±0.07 vs.0.95±0.05,all P<0.05].Conversely,significant increases were observed in the expressions of IL-1β and IL-18 mRNA,slow muscle fibers,and the proteins NF-κB p65,NLRP3,caspase-1,GSDMD,Fbxo32[IL-1β mRNA(IL-1β/GAPDH):2.2±0.3 vs.1.0±0.2,IL-18 mRNA(IL-18/GAPDH):2.3±0.3 vs.1.0±0.3,slow muscle fibers:(26±1)%vs.(22±3)%,NF-κB p65 protein expression(A value):0.40±0.15 vs.0.17±0.05,NLRP3 protein expression(A value):0.51±0.05 vs.0.27±0.08,caspase-1 protein expression(A value):0.54±0.12 vs.0.30±0.19,GSDMD protein expression(A value):0.40±0.12 vs.0.20±0.05,Fbxo32 protein expression(A value):0.51±0.15 vs.0.33±0.08,all P<0.05].Compared with the ARDS group,both low and high doses of DEX were found to further reduce body weight,diaphragm weight,fast muscle fibers,and Myh2 protein expression,and further increase the expressions of IL-1β and IL-18 mRNA,slow muscle fibers,and the proteins NF-κB p65,NLRP3,caspase-1,GSDMD,Fbxo32,with the changes in the high dose DEX group being more significant than those in the low dose group[body weight(g):198±14 vs.222±16,diaphragm weight(g):0.57±0.04 vs.0.68±0.04,fast muscle fibers:(56±5)%vs.(69±2)%,Myh2 protein expression(A value):0.29±0.16 vs.0.57±0.15,IL-1βmRNA expression:5.6±1.4 vs.3.3±0.6,IL-18 mRNA expression(IL-18/GAPDH):5.8±1.2 vs.3.9±0.6,slow muscle fibers:(44±5)%vs.(31±2)%,NF-κB p65 protein expression(A value):0.87±0.04 vs.0.70±0.07,NLRP3 protein expression(A value):0.75±0.08 vs.0.63±0.04,caspase-1 protein expression(A value):0.99±0.06 vs.0.82±0.08,GSDMD protein expression(Avalue):0.85±0.11 vs.0.61±0.10,Fbxo32 protein expression(Avalue):1.00±0.10 vs.0.78±0.12,all P<0.05].Normal muscle fiber structure was revealed by microscopic observation in the control group,clear fiber separation in the ARDS model group,and disordered muscle fiber arrangement with structural distortion was noted in both low and high-dose DEX groups.Conclusion Prolonged administration of DEX may worsen diaphragmatic atrophy induced by ARDS,possibly by promoting the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and cell pyroptosis.

Objective Virtual reality(VR)technology is closely related to eye vision.With the development and progress of hardware and software equipment,VR has been applied widely in the field of ophthalmology.This article describes the application of VR technology in the clinical research and ophthalmology education,reviews the current research results and advantages of this new technology,including the new curative effect in amblyopia/strabismus,myopia and glaucoma,as well as research on the technology's application in cataract surgery training and ophthalmology education.The article also discusses the dangers and difficulties of VR application and predicts its future application trend.In view of the shortcomings of VR in current research applications,the paper discusses and looks forward to provide powerful strategies for amblyopia,myopia and other ophthalmic diseases and clinical research.

Objective:To analyze the incidence of liver function injury in patients infected with 2019-nCoV omicron variant and its influencing factors.Methods:The clinical data and laboratory findings of 897 COVID-19 patients infected with omicron variant in Zhejiang province from February 23 to July 14, 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divide into liver function injury group ( n=243) and non-liver function injury group ( n=654) based on liver function indicators. The clinical characteristics and laboratory tests were compared between the two groups, and influencing factors of liver function injury were analyzed. SPSS 26.0 statistical software was used for data analysis. Results:The incidence of liver injury in this series was 27.09% (243/897). The median age of patients in liver injury group was older, the body mass index (BMI) was higher( Z=-6.237 and -2.166, both P<0.05), the proportions of patients with hypertension and diabetes, and with severe clinical classification were higher ( χ2=17.087, 27.509 and 12.945, all P<0.01) ; the proportion of vaccinated patients was lower ( χ2=17.766, P<0.01) than those in non-liver injury group. The levels of platelet, hemoglobin, albumin and potassium in liver injury group were lower than those in non-liver injury group ( Z=-4.631, -2.368, -10.593 and -2.141, all P<0.05), while serum ALT, AST, γ-GT, urea nitrogen, glucose and hs-CRP levels were higher than those in the non-liver injury group ( Z=-7.451, -8.663, -4.410, -3.824, -3.278 and -3.884, all P<0.01). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age ( OR=2.580, 95% CI 1.429-4.657, P=0.002), history of diabetes ( OR=3.650, 95% CI 1.698-7.849, P=0.001), and decreased hemoglobin ( OR=1.993, 95% CI 1.066-3.726, P=0.031) and increased hs-CRP ( OR=1.797, 95% CI 1.283-2.517, P=0.001) were risk factors associated with liver function injury, while vaccination ( OR=0.499, 95% CI 0.312-0.798, P=0.004) was the protective factor for liver function. Conclusion:Liver function injury is frequently observed in COVID-19 patients infected with omicron variant, which is linked to age, underlying disease, and elevated inflammatory markers; while vaccination can lower the risk of liver injury in infected patients.

Objective:To explore the prognostic value of the serum concentration of human soluble stromelysin-2(sST2)combined with ultrasonic left ventricular diastolic function parameters for elderly patients with septic shock.Methods:This prospective study involved 150 elderly patients with septic shock admitted to the intensive care unit(ICU)of the First Hospital of Jiaxing between May 2019 and May 2022.Data on the following parameters were recorded on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 in the ICU: sST2 concentration, mitral early-diastolic inflow peak velocity(E), mitral late-diastolic inflow peak velocity(A), E/A ratio, early diastolic mitral annular velocity(e'), and E/e' ratio.According to the 28-day prognostic outcome obtained during follow-up, patients were divided into a survival group and a death group to compare differences in values of the above parameters between the two groups and at different time points.Logistic regression was used to analyze independent risk factors for 28-day mortality.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the predictive value for 28-day mortality, and further risk stratification was performed according to optimal cut-off values to compare differences in 28-day mortality under different risk stratification methods.The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to compare 28-day cumulative survival under different risk stratification methods and analyze the predictive value of the combination of the parameters for 28-day mortality.Results:On day 5 following ICU admission, e' was lower and E/e' and sST2 were higher in the death group than in the survival group.Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis suggested that sST2(odds ratio: 1.010, P<0.001)was an independent risk factor for 28-day mortality in elderly patients with septic shock.sST2 had a sensitivity of 50.2%, a specificity of 79.1%, and an area under the curve of 0.660 for predicting 28-day mortality in patients with septic shock.The sST2 concentration was 89.3 μg/L on day 5 after ICU admission, which was the clinical cutoff point for predicting 28-day mortality.Based on the risk stratification of sST2 levels, the 28-day mortality rate was higher in the sST2>89.3 μg/L group than in the sST2≤89.3 μg/L group.Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the 28-day cumulative survival rate was significantly lower in the sST2>89.3 μg/L group than in the sST2≤89.3 μg/L group(44.0% vs.66.7%, log-rank test: χ2=9.101, P=0.003).The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the combination of sST2, e', and E/e' significantly improved the prediction efficiency of 28-day mortality in elderly patients with septic shock, with an area under the curve of 0.844, a sensitivity of 89.7%, and a specificity of 66.5%. Conclusions:sST2 is an independent risk factor for 28-day mortality in elderly patients with septic shock.When combined with e' and E/e', sST2 can more accurately evaluate the survival prognosis of these patients.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are major disease burdens with high mortality worldwide. Early prediction of cardiovascular events can reduce the incidence of acute myocardial infarction and decrease the mortality rates of patients with CVDs. The pathological mechanisms and multiple factors involved in CVDs are complex; thus, traditional data analysis is insufficient and inefficient to manage multidimensional data for the risk prediction of CVDs and heart attacks, medical image interpretations, therapeutic decision-making, and disease prognosis prediction. Meanwhile, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely used for treating CVDs. TCM offers unique theoretical and practical applications in the diagnosis and treatment of CVDs. Big data have been generated to investigate the scientific basis of TCM diagnostic methods. TCM formulae contain multiple herbal items. Elucidating the complicated interactions between the active compounds and network modulations requires advanced data-analysis capability. Recent progress in artificial intelligence (AI) technology has allowed these challenges to be resolved, which significantly facilitates the development of integrative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for CVDs and the understanding of the therapeutic principles of TCM formulae. Herein, we briefly introduce the basic concept and current progress of AI and machine learning (ML) technology, and summarize the applications of advanced AI and ML for the diagnosis and treatment of CVDs. Furthermore, we review the progress of AI and ML technology for investigating the scientific basis of TCM diagnosis and treatment for CVDs. We expect the application of AI and ML technology to promote synergy between western medicine and TCM, which can then boost the development of integrative medicine for the diagnosis and treatment of CVDs.

Objective:To investigate the effect of curcumin on renal fibrosis in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in adult SD rats.Methods:Twenty-four male SD rats were randomly (random number) divided into four groups: control group, ARDS group, low dose group, and high dose group ( n=6 per group). In the control group, the rats were given atomization intratracheal of standard saline 2 mL/kg; in the ARDS group, low-dose group, and high-dose group, the rats were given atomization intratracheal of 4 mg/kg LPS; in the low-dose group, the rats were given curcumin 100 mg/d by the oral administration, and in the high-dose group, the rats were given curcumin or 200 mg/d respectively. After seven days, the rats were sacrificed. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) in renal tissue were detected by colorimetric assay. Nuclear factor kappa-B p65 (NF-κB p65) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were detected by Western blot. The expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA, proline hydroxylase 3 (PHD3) mRNA, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA and erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) mRNA were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). HE staining and Masson staining were used to assess pathological damage. One-way analysis of variance was used for comparison among multiple groups and SNK method was used for comparison between two groups. Results:Compared with the control group, the SOD activity and GSH content in the ARDS group, low-dose group, and high-dose group were significantly decreased (all P<0.05); the protein expression levels of MDA, NF-κB p65, and TGF-β1 were increased significantly, and IL-6 mRNA, PHD3 mRNA, VEGF mRNA, and EPOR mRNA were significantly upregulated (all P<0.05). HE staining showed inflammatory cell infiltration, and fibrogenesis in kidney tissue, and Masson staining showed deposition of collangen-like substance. Compared with the ARDS group, SOD activity and GSH content were increased, while the protein expression of NF-κB p65 and TGF-β1, IL-6 mRNA, PHD3 mRNA, VEGF mRNA, and EPOR mRNA were decreased significantly in the low-dose group and high-dose group (all P<0.05). Curcumin therapy reduced inflammatory cellular infiltration, and the deposition of collagen-like substance in kidney tissue. Compared with the low-dose group, SOD activity and GSH content were increased in the high-dose group (all P<0.05), and the protein expression of NF-κB p65 and TGF-β1, IL-6 mRNA, PHD3 mRNA, VEGF mRNA, and EPOR mRNA were decreased significantly in the high-dose group (all P<0.05). The high-dose group exhibited a significant reduction in edema, and a decrease of the deposition of collagen-like substance in kidney tissue. Conclusions:Curcumin can inhibit the development of renal fibrosis induced by acute respiratory distress syndrome in rats, and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting the expression of inflammatory factors and enhancing hypoxia tolerance.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of finasteride combined with 5% minoxidil in the treatment of male androgenetic alopecia.Methods:A total of 102 males with androgenetic alopecia diagnosed and treated in Shaoxing Hospital of China Medical University during 2018-2019 were selected in the study and divided into two groups by random number table method.The control group (50 cases) was only given finasteride, and the treatment group(52 cases) was given finasteride combined with minoxidil.All the patients were treated for 6 months.The therapeutic effects and adverse reactions during the treatment were compared between the two groups.Results:The effective rate of the treatment group was 86.5%(45/52), which was significantly higher than 66.0%(33/50) of the control group(χ 2=4.93, P<0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the treatment group was 3.8%(2/52), which was significantly lower than 18.0%(9/50) in the control group(χ 2=5.22, P<0.05). Conclusion:Finasteride combined with 5% minoxidil is safe and effective in the treatment of male androgenetic alopecia, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Adult olfactory neurogenesis plays critical roles in maintaining olfactory functions. Newly-generated neurons in the subventricular zone migrate to the olfactory bulb (OB) and determine olfactory discrimination, but the mechanisms underlying the regulation of olfactory neurogenesis remain unclear. Our previous study indicated the potential of APPL2 (adaptor protein, phosphotyrosine interacting with PH domain and leucine zipper 2) as a modulating factor for neurogenesis in the adult olfactory system. In the present study, we report how APPL2 affects neurogenesis in the OB and thereby mediates olfactory discrimination by using both in vitro neural stem cells (NSCs) and an in vivo animal model-APPL2 transgenic (Tg) mice. In the in vitro study, we found that APPL2 overexpression resulted in NSCs switching from neuronal differentiation to gliogenesis while APPL2 knockdown promoted neurogenesis. In the in vivo study, APPL2 Tg mice had a higher population of glial cells and dampened neuronal production in the olfactory system, including the corpus callosum, OB, and rostral migratory stream. Adult APPL2 Tg mice displayed impaired performance in olfactory discrimination tests compared with wild-type mice. Furthermore, we found that an interaction of APPL2 with Notch1 contributed to the roles of APPL2 in modulating the neurogenic lineage-switching and olfactory behaviors. In conclusion, APPL2 controls olfactory discrimination by switching the fate choice of NSCs via interaction with Notch1 signaling.

Objective To compare the impact of Telbivudine (LDT) and Entecavir (ETV) administration on estimates of glomerular filtration rate for anti-viral therapy in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related compensated cirrhosis by an open, prospective randomized controlled study.Methods Patients with HBV-related compensated cirrhosis at clinic or hospitalized in Shaoxing Municipal Hospital from January 2012 to June 2013 were included.A total of 170 patients were randomly divided into LDT (600 mg/d) or ETV (0.5 mg/d) groups at a ratio of 1∶1 according to the random number table method.All patients were treated for more than 36 months.The LDT group was optimized according to the roadmap.Patients with poor response or resistance in both treatment group were added with Adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) 10 mg/d for optimal treatment.The clinical outcome, creatinine (CR), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of patients before and after 36 months of treatment were compared between two groups.All categorical data were analyzed using chi-square test and data accorded with normal distribution were compared by t test.Results After 36 months of treatment, the virological and biochemical responses in LDT group and ETV group were similar.The mean CR levels at month 24 and 36 in LDT group were (74.25±22.98) μmol/L and (70.72±24.75) μmol/L, respectively, which were both lower than baseline level ([83.09±17.68] μmol/L, t=2.811 and 3.145, respectively, both P<0.01).The mean CR levels at month 36 between two groups were statistically different (t=3.431, P=0.001).The mean eGFR levels at month 12, 24 and 36 in LDT group were all significantly lower than that at baseline (t=3.976,8.297 and 10.629, respectively, all P<0.01).The mean eGFR levels at month 24 and 36 between two groups were statistically different (t=9.684 and 15.019, respectively, both P<0.01).A total of 64 patients including 34 in LDT group and 30 in ETV group had mild nephritic injury at baseline.The mean eGFR in patients with mild nephritic injury at baseline in LDT group at month 12, 24 and 36 were significantly different compared to baseline (t=6.098,10.191 and 14.378, respectively, all P<0.01).The mean eGFR level at month 36 in ETV group had statistical difference compared to baseline (t=2.058, P<0.05).The mean eGFR levels at months 12, 24 and 36 were all statistical different between two groups (all P<0.01).The mean eGFR levels at month 24 and 36 in the optimized group were superior to ETV group (P<0.01).Conclusions In patients with HBV-related compensated cirrhosis, LDT and ETV treatment have similar clinical efficacy.LDT is more effective in protecting nephritic function than ETV.

Objective To evaluate urinary β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) and retinoid binging protein (RBP) in monitoring of early renal impairment in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with long-term adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) treatment. Methods Three hundred and fifty five with CHB admitted in Shaoxing Municipal Hospital from June 2009 to June 2011 were enrolled in the study, among whom 180 cases study group) were treated with ADV monotherapy (n=100) or ADV + lamivudine (LAM) combination therapy (n=80); and 175 cases (control group) were treated with entecavir (ETV). Serum creatinine, urinary β2-MG, RBP and creatinine were measured and glomerular tration rate (eGFR) was estimated regularly during 5-year follow up. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the cumulative incidence of changes in urinary β2-MG and RBP. Results Five-year follow-up results showed that in study group 2, 6, 10, 14 and 24 cases developed urinary β2-MG abnormality in year 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of treatment, respectively; and 2, 7, 11, 16 and 20 cases developed urinary RBP abnormality in year 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of treatment, respectively; eGFR decreased 20%-30% from baseline in 20 cases, 30%-50% in 13 cases and >50% in 2 cases. The decrease of eGFR ≥30% in 5 years was significantly correlated with urinary RBP and β2-GM abnormality. However, both serum creatinine and eGFR remained stable during the 5 years of follow-up in control group; only 2 cases developed urinary β2-MG abnormality and 3 cases developed urinary RBP abnormality. Conclusions Urinary RBP and β2-MG are sensitive biomarkers of early renal injury during long-term ADV treatment in CHB patients, and ADV should not be used as first-line treatment for CHB.