AIM: To investigate and analyze serum nitric oxide synthase 4(NOX4)and matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-2 expressions in patients with diabetes mellitus(DM)complicated with neovascular glaucoma(NVG)and their clinical significance.METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on 161 patients with DM complicated with NVG admitted to Handan City Eye Hospital(The Third Hospital of Handan)from June 2020 to June 2023. Based on whether complications occurred 1 a after trabeculectomy in the study group patients, they were divided into a group with good prognosis(n=90)and a group with poor prognosis(n=71). During the same period, 161 patients with chronic angle-closure glaucoma without iris neovascularization were selected as the control group. ELISA method was applied to detect the expression levels of serum NOX4 and MMP-2. ROC curve was plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value and postoperative complication prediction value of NOX4 and MMP-2 in patients with DM complicated with NVG. Pearson method was applied to analyze the correlation of NOX4 and MMP-2 with vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)and interleukin-6(IL-6). Multivariate Logistic regression was applied to analyze the influencing factors of postoperative complications in the study group.RESULTS:The general information of the study group and control group of patients is comparable. Compared with the control group, the expression levels of serum NOX4, MMP-2, VEGF, and IL-6 in the study group were significantly increased(P<0.001). According to Pearson analysis, serum NOX4 and MMP-2 levels significantly positively correlated with VEGF and IL-6 levels, respectively(P<0.001). According to ROC curve, the AUC of NOX4 combined with MMP-2 in the diagnosis of DM complicated with NVG was better than that of individual diagnosis of NOX4(Z=3.341, P<0.05)and MMP-2(Z=2.788, P<0.05). The duration of DM, the proportion of people with intraocular pressure >21 mmHg, and the expression levels of NOX4, MMP-2, VEGF, and IL-6 in the poor prognosis group were all higher than those in the good prognosis group(P<0.001). The duration of DM, intraocular pressure >21 mmHg, the levels of NOX4, MMP-2, VEGF, and IL-6 were all risk factors for poor prognosis in DM patients with NVG(P<0.001). According to ROC curve, the combined prediction of NOX4 and MMP-2 for postoperative complications in patients with DM complicated by NVG was superior to the AUC predicted by NOX4(Z=3.727, P<0.05)and MMP-2(Z=2.219, P<0.05), respectively.CONCLUSION:NOX4 and MMP-2 are upregulated in the serum of patients with DM complicated by NVG. Combined detection of these two markers holds significant clinical value for the early diagnosis and prognosis of patients with DM complicated by NVG.

ObjectiveTo observe the changes in the levels of different subtypes of epidermal growth factor receptor （ErbB）， namely ErbB1， ErbB2， ErbB3， and ErbB4， in the spinal dorsal horn of inflammatory pain model rats， and to explore their mechanism of mediating hyperalgesia as well as the intervention mechanism of electroacupuncture at "Zusanli （ST 36）" and "Kunlun （BL 60）". MethodsThe study was divided into five parts. In experiment 1， 14 Sprague Dawley （SD） rats were randomly divided into control and inflammatory pain group （7 rats each group） to observe the pain behavior and the protein expression of different ErbB receptor subtypes in the spinal dorsal horn. In experiment 2， 30 rats were randomly divided into control group 1， inflammatory pain group 1， and low-， medium-， and high-concentration TX1-85-1 groups， with 6 rats in each group， to observe the effect of inhibiting spinal ErbB3 on inflammatory pain. In experiment 3， 12 rats were randomly divided into control virus group and ErbB3 knockdown virus group， with 6 rats in each group， to observe the effect of knocking down ErbB3 in the spinal dorsal horn on inflammatory pain. In experiment 4， 44 rats were randomly divided into control group 2， inflammatory pain group 2， electroacupuncture group， and sham electroacupuncture group， with 11 rats in each group， to observe the effect of electroacupuncture. In experiment 5， 40 rats were randomly divided into control group 3， inflammatory pain group 3， electroacupuncture group 1， and electroacupuncture + NRG1 group， with 10 rats in each group， to observe the effect of activating ErbB3 on electroacupuncture. A rat model of inflammatory pain was established by subcutaneous injection of 100 μl of complete Freund's adjuvant into the sole of the unilateral hind foot of SD rats. Rats in the low-， medium-， and high-concentration TX1-85-1 groups were intrathecally injected with ErbB3 inhibitor TX1-85-1 on day 5 to day 7 after modeling. Rats in the ErbB3 knockdown virus group were injected with ErbB3 knockdown virus packaged with adenovirus vector-based short hairpin RNA （shRNA） into the spinal dorsal horn in situ 3 weeks before modeling. Rats in each electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture at bilateral "Zusanli （ST 36）" and "Kunlun （BL 60）" from day 1 to day 7 after modeling， with dense-sparse waves at a frequency of 2 Hz/100 Hz and a current of 0.5-1.5 mA for 30 minutes once a day. Rats in the electroacupuncture + NRG1 group were intrathecally injected with ErbB3 ligand recombinant human neuregulin-1 （NRG1） after electroacupuncture intervention from day 5 to day 7 after modeling. The mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency of rats were measured on day 1， 3， 5， and 7 after modeling to evaluate behavior， and Western Blot was used to detect the protein and phosphorylation levels of each ErbB subtype in the spinal dorsal horn. ResultsCompared with the control group， rats in the inflammatory pain group showed decreased mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency of rats， and increased expression of phosphorylated ErbB3 （p-ErbB3） protein in the spinal dorsal horn on days 1， 3， 5， and 7 after modeling （P＜0.01）. On day 5 and day 7 after modeling， compared with the inflammatory pain group 1， the mecha-nical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency of rats in the medium- and high-concentration TX1-85-1 groups increased， and the expression of p-ErbB3 protein decreased （P＜0.05）. On day 1， 3， 5， and 7 after modeling， compared with the control virus group， the mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency of rats in the ErbB3 knockdown virus group increased （P＜0.05）. On day 5 and day 7 after modeling， compared with the inflammatory pain group 2 and the sham electroacupuncture group， the mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency of rats in the electroacupuncture group increased， and the expression of p-ErbB3 protein decreased （P＜0.05）. On day 5 and day 7 after modeling， compared with the electroacupuncture + NRG1 group， the mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency of rats in the electroacupuncture group 1 increased （P＜0.05）. ConclusionThe p-ErbB3 in the spinal dorsal horn involved in hyperalgesia in rats with inflammatory pain， and electroacupuncture at "Zusanli （ST 36）" and "Kunlun （BL 60）" can alleviate inflammatory pain by inhibiting the expression of p-ErbB3 protein in the spinal dorsal horn of rats.

BACKGROUND:In recent years,with the rapid development of biomedicine,the study of brain aging and exosomes has attracted more and more attention,but there is no bibliometrics analysis in this field. OBJECTIVE:To objectively analyze domestic and foreign literature on brain aging and exosomes in the past 15 years,to summarize the research status,hot spots,and development trends in this field. METHODS:Using the core database of Web of Science as a search platform,we downloaded the literature on brain aging and exosomes published from the establishment of the database to December 28,2022,and analyzed the data from the aspects of country or region,institution,author,keywords,and co-cited literature using CiteSpace 6.1.R6 visualization software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 1 045 research articles were included,and the number of publications on brain aging and exosomes research both domestically and internationally was showing an increasing trend year by year.The United States ranked first with 429 papers,and China ranked second with 277 papers.Louisiana State University ranked first with 16 articles.Professor Lukiw Walter J from Louisiana State University in the United States was the author with the highest number of publications,and Professor Bartel DP from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was the author with the most citations.The most prolific Journal was the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.Alzheimer's disease,microRNA,gene expression,extracellular vesicles,exosomes,oxidative stress,and biomarkers are the most relevant terms.According to the research on hot topics,biomarkers have become a new research hotspot.The above results indicate that the research on brain aging and exosomes has gradually increased in the past 15 years.The research direction has gradually shifted from the initial exploration of the expression of miRNAs in central nervous system diseases related to brain aging to the search for biomarkers that can identify and diagnose neurodegenerative diseases.The study of exocrine miRNAs to protect central nervous system from damage has emerged as promising therapeutic strategy.

BACKGROUND:With the development and progress in the field of stomatology,oral implant technology has gradually become the mainstream alternative to traditional dentures.In recent years,the maturity of various bone increment techniques and the continuous development of the oral digital field have expanded the indications of dental implantation,and the success rate of implantation surgery is also increasing.However,it has become a difficult problem for some clinicians to use cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT)to accurately measure the residual alveolar ridge bone mass before implantation and to make a suitable implantation plan. OBJECTIVE:To measure the residual alveolar ridge bone mass in the proposed implant area of the mandibular first molar using the CBCT. METHODS:In a retrospective study design,the CBCT images of 205 patients with mandibular first molar loss were included to measure the height and width of the residual alveolar ridge in the proposed implant area of the mandibular first molar.The residual alveolar ridges were divided into four categories:Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ(Class Ⅱ,Ⅲ,and Ⅳ residual alveolar ridge defined as insufficient bone).Statistical analyses were conducted in terms of frequency distribution of residual alveolar ridge height,width,and morphology of the mandibular first molar,differences in residual alveolar ridge height and alveolar ridge crest width of the mandibular first molar in patients of different sexes,correlation of the residual alveolar ridge height with the crest width and bottom width of the residual alveolar ridge,as well as correlation of age with the width and height of the residual alveolar ridge crest. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The average height of the residual alveolar ridge in the proposed implant area of the mandibular first molar was(12.14±2.96)mm,of which 43.41％(89/205)were less than 12 mm.The average width of the residual alveolar ridge in the proposed implant area of the mandibular first molar was(6.80±1.65)mm,of which 26.34％(54/205)were less than 6 mm.(2)The height of the residual alveolar ridge of the mandibular first molar was higher in males than in females,with no significant difference(P>0.05),and the width of the residual alveolar ridge of the mandibular first molar was significantly wider in males than in females(P<0.01).(3)The height of the residual alveolar ridge was negatively correlated with the top and bottom width of the residual alveolar ridge(P<0.01).Age showed a positive correlation with the residual alveolar ridge width(P<0.05)and no significant correlation with the residual alveolar ridge height(P>0.05).(4)The residual alveolar ridge of class Ⅰ accounted for 58.05％(119/205),class Ⅱ accounted for 9.27％(19/205),class Ⅲ accounted for 20.49％(42/205),and class Ⅳ accounted for 12.19％(25/205),most of which were class Ⅲ with insufficient remaining alveolar ridge bone mass.Clinicians need to individualize and design the optimal implantation plan based on the type of residual alveolar ridge.

BACKGROUND:Synthetic polymers,such as polypropylene and polyester,used for the treatment of abdominal wall defects not only lack biodegradability and bioactivity but also fail to meet the demands of complex and irregular wounds.Therefore,finding bioactive materials with low immunogenicity and good histocompatibility has become a hot spot in the repair of abdominal wall defects. OBJECTIVE:To prepare methacryloyl modified dermal extracellular matrix hydrogel and explore its potential application in abdominal wall defect. METHODS:(1)The porcine dermis was acellular with 0.25%trypsin and 1%Triton X-100 in turn to obtain the dermal extracellular matrix.After pepsin digestion and methacrylic anhydride modification,the methacrylated dermal extracellular matrix hydrogel was formed by photocrosslinking.The microscopic morphology of the hydrogel was observed by scanning electron microscope,and its rheological properties,swelling properties and other physical and chemical properties were tested.(2)Mice fibroblasts(L929)were inoculated into methacrylated dermal extracellular matrix hydrogel to detect the cell compatibility.(3)Totally 12 SD rats were randomly divided into two groups(n=6)to create abdominal wall defect model with peritoneum preserved.The defect site of the polypropylene group was filled with polypropylene material,and the hydrogel group was filled with methacrylated dermal extracellular matrix hydrogel.The wound skin of both groups was covered with polypropylene material.The wound healing was observed and histological analysis was carried out. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Enzymatic hydrolysis had a good decellularization effect on porcine dermis after decellularization,and the original glycosaminoglycans and collagen were well retained.Scanning electron microscope observation revealed that the dermal extracellular matrix hydrogel presented loose and porous structure.The aperture was between 70 and 120 μm.The swelling ratio was(16.88±3.24)%and the water absorption was(94.24±1.11)%.The rheological property test showed that the methacrylated dermal extracellular matrix hydrogel was stable and had shear thinning characteristics,with injectability.(2)CCK-8 assay and live/dead staining showed that methacrylated dermal extracellular matrix hydrogel had good cell compatibility.(3)The results of animal experiments showed that the skin wound healing rate of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group at 7,10,and 14 days after operation(P<0.05).Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson staining of skin and muscle tissue exhibited that compared with the polypropylene group,the skin wound epithelialization,hair follicle formation,collagen fiber arrangement,and neovascularization were better in the hydrogel group 14 days after surgery.The skin wound new tissue structure was similar to the normal tissue at 28 days after surgery,and scar hyperplasia was less.A small amount of muscle regeneration was observed on day 28 after operation.(4)The results show that the methacrylated dermal extracellular matrix hydrogel can promote wound skin healing and muscle tissue regeneration in rats with abdominal wall defect.

BACKGROUND:The guinea pig is considered to be the most useful spontaneous model for evaluating primary osteoarthritis in humans because of its similar knee joint structure and close histopathologic features to those of humans. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the pathological process of spontaneous knee osteoarthritis in guinea pigs by analyzing the histopathology of the total knee joint of guinea pigs aged 1 to 18 months. METHODS:Eight healthy female Hartley guinea pigs in each age group of 1,6,10,14,16,and 18 months old were selected.The quadriceps femoris was taken for hematoxylin-eosin staining,and the total knee joint was stained with hematoxylin-eosin and toluidine blue.The histopathology of the cartilage,subchondral bone,synovium,meniscus,and muscles were observed under light microscope.Mankin's score and synovitis score were compared,and the correlation analysis was conducted. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:As the guinea pig age increased,the Mankin's score increased(P<0.05),and the pathological score of synovitis also gradually increased(P<0.05),and there was a significant positive correlation between the two(r=0.641,P<0.001).The incidence rate of subchondral bone marrow lesion in 18-month-old guinea pigs was 50%,and the incidence of meniscus injury was 37.5%.In addition,osteophyte and narrowing of the joint space were observed,and only a few guinea pigs had inflammation in the quadriceps femoris.To conclude,guinea pigs develop significant cartilage defects,synovial inflammation,subchondral bone lesions,meniscus injury,osteophyte formation,and joint space narrowing as they age,all of which are similar to the pathological processes of primary knee osteoarthritis in humans,making it an ideal model of spontaneous knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND:Traditional Chinese medicine has rich experience and unique advantages in the empirical treatment of phlegm-heat and Fu-organs excess syndrome of ischemic stroke.In order to further explore the therapeutic targets and mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine for this disease,it is crucial to establish a stable and reliable animal model of phlegm-heat and Fu-organs excess syndrome combined with empirical symptoms of ischemic stroke. OBJECTIVE:To explore the establishment method and evaluation system of the rat model of ischemic stroke with phlegm-heat and Fu-organ excess syndrome. METHODS:Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups:blank control group(n=12),ischemic stroke group(n=18),disease+syndrome group(n=18),phlegm-heat and Fu-organ excess syndrome group(n=12),all of which were given high-fat diet for 25 days.On the 26th day,the rats in the blank control group and ischemic stroke group were intragastrically given normal saline and high fat diet,while those in the other two groups were intragastrically given autologous feces suspension and high fat diet for 3 continuous days.After gavage,ischemic stroke models were established using the suture method in the ischemic stroke group and disease+syndrome group.The changes in diet,water intake,body mass,body temperature,fecal traits,nasal secretions,sputum in the throat,and tongue image were recorded.Neurological deficits,tongue image,blood lipid levels,morphological changes of brain tissue and carotid artery,and the serum levels of motilin and somatostatin were detected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group,the rats in the disease+syndrome group had shortness of breath,listlessness,irritability,bradykinesia,a large number of secretions around the nose,audible and heavy sputum in the throat,decreased diet and water intake,increased body mass,body temperature,and slingual vein score,decreased fecal pellet count,Bristol score and fecal moisture content,increased serum total cholesterol,triglyceride,low-density lipoprotein and somatostatin levels,decreased motilin level,increased neurological deficit score,significant pathological changes of the carotid artery,and significant morphological changes of the brain tissue.The ischemic stroke group only showed pathological changes of ischemic brain tissue,without the characteristics of phlegm-heat and Fu-organ excess syndrome.The phlegm-heat and Fu-organ excess syndrome group could present with the typical characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes,without the pathological changes of brain tissue with ischemic stroke.To conclude,the compound modeling method of high-fat induction combined with suture method and autologous feces gavage can establish an animal model of ischemic stroke with phlegm-heat and Fu-organ excess syndrome.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors associated with post-prematurity respiratory disease (PPRD) in very preterm infants.Methods:A prospective cohort study was conducted, enrolling 369 very preterm infants who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, within one week of birth from January 2019 to June 2023. Data on maternal and infant clinical characteristics, neonatal morbidities, and treatments during hospitalization were collected. The very preterm infants were divided into 2 groups based on whether they developed PPRD. Continuous variables were compared using Mann-Whitney U test, while categorical variables were compared using χ2 tests or continuity correction χ2 test. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors for PPRD in very preterm infants. Results:Among the 369 very preterm infants, 217 cases(58.8%) were male, with a gestational age of 30 (28, 31) weeks at birth and a birth weight of 1 320 (1 085, 1 590) g. Of these, 116 cases (31.4%) developed PPRD, while 253 cases (68.6%) did not. The very preterm infants in the PPRD group had a lower gestational age and lower birth weight (both, P<0.001). The PPRD group also had a higher proportion of males, lower Apgar scores at the 1 th minute after birth and the 5 th minutes after birth, a higher rate of born via cesarean delivery, and a higher incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, more pulmonary surfactant treatment, longer durations of mechanical ventilation, longer total oxygen therapy, and lower Z-score for weight at discharge (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that gestational age ( OR=0.85, 95% CI 0.73-0.99, P=0.037), born via cesarean delivery ( OR=2.23, 95% CI 1.21-4.10, P=0.010), a duration of mechanical ventilation ≥7 days ( OR=2.51, 95% CI 1.43-4.39, P=0.001), and a Z-score for weight at discharge ( OR=0.82, 95% CI 0.67-0.99, P=0.040) were all independent risk factors for PPRD in very preterm infants. Conclusion:Very preterm infants with a small gestational age, born via cesarean section, mechanical ventilation ≥7 days, and a low Z-score for weight at discharge should be closely monitored for PPRD, and provided with standardized respiratory management after discharge.

The number of patients with reduced blood volume due to haemorrhage, fractures, severe infections, extensive burns and tumours is increasing, and traditional blood products are no longer able to meet the increasing clinical demand. Therefore, plasma substitutes have become particularly important in fluid resuscitation, especially artificial colloidal solutions, which have a sustained volume expansion time and a good volume expansion effect, and can significantly improve the circulatory status of patients. This article aims to review the classification of artificial colloidal plasma substitutes and their research progress in clinical practice, in order provide a more rigorous, professional and standardized reference for medicine.

Background: Obesity and chronic pain are related in both directions, according to earlier observational research.This research aimed to analyze the causal association between obesity and chronic pain at the genetic level, as well as to assess whether common factors mediate this relationship. Methods: This study used bidirectional two sample Mendelian randomization (MR) technique to analyze the association between obesity and chronic pain. Obesity's summary genome-wide association data were obtained from European ancestry groups, as measured by body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC), genome-wide association study data for chronic pain also came from the UK population, including chronic pain at three different sites (back, hip, and headache), chronic widespread pain (CWP), and multisite chronic pain (MCP). Secondly, a two-step MR and multivariate MR investigation was performed to evaluate the mediating effects of several proposed confounders. Results: The authors discovered a link between chronic pain and obesity. More specifically, a sensitivity analysis was done to confirm the associations between greater BMI, WC, and HC with an increased risk of CWP and MCP.Importantly, the intermediate MR results suggest that education levels and smoking initiation may mediate the causal relationship between BMI on CWP, with a mediation effect of 23.08% and 15.38%, respectively. Conclusions The authors’ findings demonstrate that the importance of education and smoking in understanding chronic pain’s pathogenesis, which is important for the primary prevention and prognosis of chronic pain.