AIM: To investigate the differences in morphological structure and retinal blood perfusion between the affected eye and the contralateral healthy eye using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)in patients with idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane(IMEM)before and after surgery, and to evaluate the association of these parameters with functional and anatomical outcomes to inform prognostic assessment. METHODS:A prospective study was conducted at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital between January 2023 and December 2024. Consecutive patients diagnosed with unilateral IMEM were enrolled; the fellow eye served as an internal control. All participants underwent standardized ophthalmic evaluations, including optical coherence tomography(OCT), OCTA, and color fundus photography. Key quantitative parameters assessed included best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT), foveal avascular zone(FAZ)area, vessel density in the inner capillary plexus(ICP), superficial capillary plexus(SCP), deep capillary plexus(DCP), and choroidal capillary perfusion area(CCPA). Measurements were obtained preoperatively and at 1 and 3 mo postoperatively. Correlation analyses were performed between the above parameters and postoperative BCVA and CMT.RESULTS: This study enrolled 30 patients(60 eyes)diagnosed with IMEM, comprising 14 males and 16 females, with a mean age of 65.4±10.8 y.At baseline, IMEM-affected eyes demonstrated significantly reduced BCVA, DCP density, and FAZ area, alongside significantly increased CMT and CCPA, compared with contralateral controls. Following vitrectomy with membrane peeling, CMT decreased significantly at both 1 and 3 mo(both P<0.05)postoperatively; DCP density and BCVA showed significant improvement(both P<0.05). No significant change in FAZ area was observed postoperatively(P>0.05). At 3 mo postoperatively, BCVA of the affected eye was negatively correlated with CMT(r=-0.549, P=0.022). At 1 mo postoperatively, CMT was negatively correlated with preoperative DCP and FAZ, positively correlated with preoperative CMT, and positively correlated with ICP and SCP at 1 mo postoperatively, and negatively correlated with FAZ at 1 mo postoperatively(all P<0.05). Furthermore, CMT at 3 mo postoperatively was negatively correlated with preoperative DCP(r=-0.498,P=0.042).CONCLUSION:In patients with IMEM, the affected eyes exhibit significantly reduced DCP density and FAZ area, alongside increased CMT and CCPA. Following vitrectomy with membrane peeling, CMT decreased progressively, DCP density demonstrated partial restoration, and vision improved gradually. Preoperatively, smaller CMT larger DCP, and FAZ were associated with more favorable surgical outcomes; postoperatively, smaller ICP and SCP densities—combined with a larger FAZ—also correlated with better functional recovery.

Acupuncture and moxibustion have their unique advantages in treating tumors,but the theoretical framework of acupuncture and moxibustion intervention in tumors needs to be improved,and the academic system still needs to be sorted out.In this paper,we try to describe the commonalities between Chinese medical theories and modern medical technologies in order to consolidate the theoretical foundation of acupuncture intervention in tumor.Specifically:① Acupuncture regulates immune function and energy metabolism,which is a specific form of tonifying the spleen and stomach to support positive qi.② Tumors belong to the broad definition of"sores and ulcers"in traditional Chinese medicine,which is a special kind of chronic inflammation,and acupuncture intervenes in tumors by intervening in inflammatory reactions from ulcers.③ Tumor is a"dynamic pseudo-organ"with yin and yang attributes and"life attributes".Acupuncture and moxibustion can regulate various cells and factors in the tumor environment in a multi-targeted way,so as to make it tend to the state of yin and yang equilibrium.④ Acupuncture and moxibustion have unique advantages in the reduction of toxicity,enhancement of efficacy,tonicity,rejuvenation,treatment of complications,etc.,which complement the allopathic therapies of modern medicine,and can help to realize survival with tumors.

Objective:To evaluate the mechanical stability of the bone block after LeFort Ⅰ osteotomy with maxillary advancement using absorbable plates fixed with tenon-and-mortise structures.Methods:This study developed three finite element models: one for the maxillary LeFort Ⅰ osteotomy with anterior advancement fixed with absorbable plates (Model 1); another for the maxillary LeFort Ⅰ osteotomy with anterior advancement fixed with absorbable plates assisted by tenon-and-mortise structures (Model 2); and the last one for the maxillary LeFort Ⅰ osteotomy with anterior advancement fixed with titanium plates and screws (Model 3). Simulated occlusal forces were applied on the anterior and posterior teeth in each model. The displacement changes of the nasal-palatine point (NP) and posterior nasal spine point (PNS) in the finite element coordinate system were compared and analyzed. The Mises equivalent stress distributions of the metal and absorbable plates were also examined to assess the mechanical stability of the three finite element models. Clinical data from 45 patients with dentofacial deformities treated from January 2017 to January 2023 at the Stomatology Hospital of China Medical University were collected. The age of the patients was 21±3 years. Among these, 15 patients had absorbable plates for fixation, 15 had absorbable plates assisted by tenon-and-mortise structures, and 15 had titanium plates and screws fixation after maxillary advancement. All patients underwent preoperative (T0), postoperative 3 days (T1), and 6 months (T2) spiral CT scans. The CT data in DICOM format were input into digital software, which was used to calculate the distances from the NP and PNS points to the horizontal plane (HP), right sagittal plane (FZSR), and coronal plane (CP) at T1 and T2. The distances at T1 and T2 were statistically analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test with SPSS 20.0, and a P value of<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:The finite element analysis showed that in the absorbable plate-only fixation group, the maximum displacement of the NP point (mm) under anterior and posterior tooth force conditions were 0.6 and 0.12, respectively, and for the PNS point, the maximum displacements were 0.5 and 0.11. In the tenon-and-mortise-assisted absorbable plate fixation group, the displacement of the NP point was 0.40 and 0.02 mm, and the displacement of the PNS point was 0.5 and 0.015 mm. In the titanium plate-screw fixation group, the NP point displacement was 0.33 and 0.055 mm, and the PNS point displacement was 0.16 and 0.1 mm. The Mises equivalent stress on the absorbable plates with tenon-and-mortise structure was significantly lower than that in the absorbable plate-only fixation group, while the titanium plate experienced the highest Mises equivalent stress. The clinical data analysis showed that in the horizontal direction, the postoperative stability of the three fixation methods was similar. However, in the vertical and anterior-posterior directions, the absorbable plate-only fixation group showed significant differences in the distances of PNS-HP, PNS-CP, and NP-CP between T1 and T2 ( P=0.018, P=0.009, P=0.017), suggesting significant postoperative bone displacement. In contrast, the tenon-and-mortise-assisted absorbable plate fixation group and the titanium plate-screw fixation group showed no significant differences in displacement during surgery and postoperatively(all P>0.05), demonstrating higher stability. Conclusions:The tenon-and-mortise-assisted absorbable plate fixation provides comparable stability to titanium plate fixation in clinical results, and it is more stable than absorbable plate-only fixation. In the mechanical study, when force was applied on the anterior teeth, the stability of the tenon-and-mortise-assisted absorbable plate fixation was slightly less than that of titanium plate fixation, but when posterior teeth were used, its stability exceeded both titanium plate fixation and absorbable plate-only fixation. The tenon-and-mortise-assisted absorbable plate fixation serves as an effective alternative to titanium plate fixation after LeFort Ⅰ osteotomy.

ObjectiveTo screen for the patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD） among the physical examination population， to observe the characteristics of MAFLD patients， and to compare the differences in lifestyle between the MAFLD population and the non-MAFLD population. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 6 206 individuals who underwent physical examination in a physical examination institution in Beijing from December 2015 to December 2019， and according to the new diagnostic criteria for MAFLD， the examination population was divided into MAFLD group and non-MAFLD group. Based on body mass index （BMI）， the MAFLD group was further divided into lean MAFLD group （BMI<24 kg/m²） and non-lean MAFLD group （BMI ≥24 kg/m²）. Related data were compared between groups， including demographic indicators， education level， work pressure， physical measurement indicators， and lifestyles such as sleep， diet， and exercise. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. ResultsOf all individuals in this study， 1 926 （31.1%） had MAFLD and 4 280 （68.9%） did not have MAFLD. Compared with the non-MAFLD group， the MAFLD group had significantly higher age （Z=-14.459， P<0.001）， proportion of male patients （χ²=72.004， P<0.001）， work pressure （χ²=7.744， P=0.005）， body weight （Z=-43.508， P<0.001）， BMI （Z=-47.621， P<0.001）， waist circumference （Z=-48.515， P<0.001）， hip circumference （Z=-42.121， P<0.001）， and waist-hip ratio （Z=-43.535， P<0.001）， as well as a significantly lower education level （χ²=33.583， P<0.001）. In terms of behavior， the MAFLD group had a significantly shorter sleep time （χ²=5.820， P=0.016） and a significantly faster eating speed （χ²=74.476， P<0.001）. In terms of diet， the patients in the MAFLD group consumed more high-sodium， high-sugar， and high-calorie diets （χ²=42.667， P<0.001） and low-fiber diet （χ²=4.367， P=0.008）. In terms of exercise， the MAFLD group had a significantly higher proportion of patients without exercise habits （χ²=10.278， P=0.001）. Further analysis showed that there were 202 individuals （10.5%） in the lean MAFLD group and 1 724 （89.5%） in the non-lean MAFLD group. Compared with the non-lean MAFLD group， the lean MAFLD group had significantly higher age （Z=3.368， P=0.001） and education level （χ²=9.647， P=0.002） and significantly lower proportion of male patients （χ²=27.664， P<0.001）， body weight （Z=-18.483， P<0.001）， BMI （Z=-23.286， P<0.001）， waist circumference （Z=-18.565， P<0.001）， and hip circumference （Z=-18.097， P<0.001）， and in terms of behavior， the non-lean MAFLD group had a significantly faster eating speed （χ²=4.549， P=0.033）. ConclusionThere is a relatively high prevalence rate of MAFLD among the physical examination population in Beijing， with a higher number of people with unhealthy lifestyles compared with the non-MAFLD population.

Objective: To analyze the prevalence and determinants of comorbid overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure among primary and secondary school students in Yangzhou City, and to explore the association between sleep patterns, eating behavior and the comorbidity of overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure, so as to provide reference for developing prevention strategies targeting common comorbidities in students. Methods: By using stratified cluster random sampling, a total of 8 735 primary and secondary school students were selected from 36 schools in six counties of Yangzhou from October to November 2023. Students underwent physical examinations and a questionnaire survey was conducted using the questionnaire on students health status and influencing factors. The Chi square test was used to compare the detection rate of comorbid overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure in different groups of primary and secondary school students. The Logistic regression model was used to explore the association between sleep and dietary behaviors and their combined effects and coexistence. Results: The detection rate of comorbid overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure among primary and secondary school students in Yangzhou was 9.85%, which was higher among boys (12.14%) than girls (7.59%)( χ 2=50.86, P <0.01). After controlling for gender, residence, educational stage, parental education, smoking, drinking, and moderate to vigorous exercise, multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that irregular breakfast consumption and inadequate daily sleep were associated with a higher risk of comorbidities compared with regular breakfast consumption and adequate daily sleep among overall and primary school students (overall: OR =1.52, 95% CI =1.18- 1.96 , primary school students: OR =2.79, 95% CI =1.61-4.82)(both P <0.05). From the perspective of primary school students of different genders, the risk of comorbidities in girls who consumed breakfast irregularly and had inadequate daily sleep was 3.59 times higher than that in girls who consumed breakfast irregularly and had inadequate daily sleep (95% CI =1.65-7.82, P <0.01). Conclusion The sleep patterns and breakfast behaviors of primary and secondary school students are found to be associated with comorbid overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure, especially in primary school girls.

ObjectiveTo analyze the genomic characteristics of Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS) isolated from children with respiratory tract infections in a tertiary hospital in Jinshan District of Shanghai during 2013‒2024, to compare the changes in trend for genomic characteristics before and after 2000, and to provide scientific data for the prevention and control of GAS infections. MethodsGAS strains isolated from children with respiratory tract infections in this hospital were collected from 2013 to 2024. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolated strains to 12 antibiotics, including penicillin, cefotaxime, cefepime, linezolid, vancomycin, meropenem, chloramphenicol, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and tetracycline, was determined using broth microdilution plate method. Besides, whole genome sequencing (WGS) was used to analyze multilocus sequence type (MLST), emm typing, carriage of superantigen genes, mobile genetic element (MGE), carriage of virulence gene, and genomic phylogenetic tree of the isolated strains. ResultsA total of 50 GAS strains were collected and identified from children with respiratory tract infections aged 4‒14 years old, and the resistance rates of those isolates to erythromycin, clindamycin, and tetracycline were 100.00%, 100.00%, and 86.00%, respectively. There were two emm types in the GAS isolates; the emm12 type accounted for 76.00% (38/50), corresponding to ST36 type, and the emm1 type accounted for 24.00% (12/50), corresponding to ST28, ST1274, and new-1 types. There was a statistically significant difference in the constitution of the MLST before and after 2020 (P=0.015). All the isolates carried the superantigen genes speC, speG, ssa, and smeZ. The predominant emm12 isolates belonged to the Clade Ⅱ, carrying the mobile elements ICE-emm12 (harboring erythromycin-resistance gene ermB and tetracycline-resistance gene tetM) and ΦHKU.vir (carrying virulence genes speC and ssa). The emm1 isolates carried the mobile elements ICE-HKU488 (harboring erythromycin-resistance gene ermB and tetracycline-resistance gene tetM) and ΦHKU488.vir (carrying virulence genes speC and ssa), and had close phylogenetical relationships with isolates from Hong Kong, China. No M1_UK new clone strains were found. The ST1274 isolates of emm1 were newly discovered in 2020‒2024, and belonged to a separate phylogenetic clade. ConclusionGAS strains isolated from children with respiratory tract infections in a tertiary hospital in Jinshan District of Shanghai exhibit a high resistance to erythromycin, clindamycin, and tetracycline. It is recommended that the clinical treatments change to use other antimicrobial drugs, such as penicillin, third-generation cephalosporins, and fluoroquinolones. During 2020‒2024, a new ST1274 clone strain is discovered in emm1 GAS isolates, without M1_UK new clone strains being found. It is essential to continuously concern locally prevalent GAS strains and perform early identification of MLST types to promptly monitor the internal changes of the bacterial population and potential prevalence of new clones.

Objective To investigate the causal relationship between gut microbiota and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma(DLBCL).Methods Employed a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization approach,using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies(GWAS)to extract single nucleotide polymor-phisms(SNPs)associated with exposure and outcome as instrumental variables.Exposure instrumental varia-bles(P＜1×10-5)and outcome instrumental variables(P＜5×10-8)were selected based on the P-values of SNPs.Three different Mendelian randomization methods were used to analyze the relationship between gut microbiota and DLBCL,with sensitivity analyses including heterogeneity,pleiotropy,and leave-one-out tests.Results Bilophila(OR=2.043,95%CI:1.279-3.264),Coprobacter(OR=1.371,95%CI:1.035-1.816),Eubacterium eligens group(OR=1.996,95%CI:1.291-3.087)increased the risk of DLBCL.Alistipes(OR=0.588,95%CI:0.359-0.963),Eubacterium eligens group(OR=1.996,95%CI:1.291-3.087),Slackia(OR=0.688,95%CI:0.479-0.988)reduced the risk of DLBCL.Reverse Mendelian randomization a-nalysis failed to reveal any evidence of a causal relationship between DLBCL and the six gut microbiota.Con-clusion There is a causal association between gut microbiota and DLBCL.

Objective To investigate the role of circular RNAs(circRNA)in Alzheimer's disease(AD)and its potential mechanism.Methods Six-month-old APP/PS1 mouse model of AD and wild type(WT)mice were subjected and then randomly divided into WT group,WT+circ-Olfm1 knockout group,AD group(transgenic APP/PS1 mice),AD+circ-Olfm1 knockout group,AD+FOXO3a knockout group,with 3 mice in each group.① The total RNA of mouse brain was extracted,and the differential expression of circRNAs and mRNAs between the AD mice and WT mice was detected,and the obtained circRNAs and mRNAs were analyzed with gene ontology(GO)analysis.② RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of the top 10 up-regulated and down-regulated circRNAs,as well as the expression of circ-Olfm1 and miR-330-5p.③ Lentiviral vectors were prepared and stereotaxically injected into the cortex or hippocampus of WT and AD mice to knock out circ-Olfm1 gene.Water maze test was used to evaluate the effect of circ-Olfm1 knockout on cognitive function,and immunofluorescence assay was employed to observe the deposition of amyloid β(Aβ)plaque in the brain.④ The interaction between circ-Olfm1 and miR-330-5p was verified by double luciferase reporter gene analysis.⑤ The protein levels of AMPK and FOXO3a were detected by Western blotting.⑥ Transmission electron microscopy was utilized to observe the mitochondria of the hippocampus.⑦ The levels of inflammatory factors IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α were detected by ELISA.Results There were totally 52 differentially expressed circRNAs identified between the AD and WT mice,including 28 up-regulated and 24 down-regulated(fold change>1.5,P<0.05).These differentially expressed genes are mainly involved in signal transduction,learning and memory and other functions.circ-Olfm1 was identified as the most significantly differentially expressed circRNA,which is highly expressed in the neurons and up-regulated in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the AD mice.Knockout of circ-Olfm1 reduced the number of Aβ plaques in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of AD mice(P<0.01).In starBase database,there are complementary sequences observed between circ-Olfm1 and miR-330-5p.Western blotting showed that the addition of Aβ42 significantly increased the expression of AMPK and FOXO3a in the neuronal cells(P<0.01).And silencing circ-Olfm1 led to decreased expression of AMPK and FOXO3a in neuronal cells+Aβ42(P<0.01).ELISA revealed that knockout of FOXO3a significantly increased the levels of inflammatory factors IL-6,IL-1β,and TNF-α(P<0.01).Transmission electron microscopy displayed that knocking FOXO3a out significantly aggravated mitochondrial damage(P<0.01).Conclusion circ-Olfm1 is up-regulated in the brain tissue and neurons+Aβ42 of AD rats,and the mechanism of cognitive impairment in AD rats may be through its regulating FOXO3a protein.

Clinically,the surgical treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities(VVLE)is now developing towards the direction of precision,minimally-invasive and individuation.Thus,comprehensive preoperative examination and evaluation of the venous system,and scientific marking of the target veins are prerequisite for achieving these goals.This paper describes the latest research progress in VVLE,focusing on the pathophysiology,risk factors,etiology,evaluation method of venous system,preoperative evaluation of commonly-seen secondary etiology,selection of surgical method,and marking technique of targeted veins,etc.So as to promote the development of surgical treatment for VVLE in clinical practice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, causing dementia and affecting millions of individuals. One prominent characteristic in the brains of AD patients is glucose hypometabolism. In the context of galactose metabolism, intracellular glucose levels are heightened. Galactose mutarotase (GALM) plays a crucial role in maintaining normal galactose metabolism by catalyzing the conversion of β-D-galactose into α-D-galactose (α-D-G). The latter is then converted into glucose-6-phosphate, improving glucose metabolism levels. However, the involvement of GALM in AD progression is still unclear. In the present study, we found that the expression of GALM was significantly increased in AD patients and model mice. Genetic knockdown of GALM using adeno-associated virus did not change the expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and APP-cleaving enzymes including a disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10), β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), and presenilin-1 (PS1). Interestingly, genetic overexpression of GALM reduced APP and Aβ deposition by increasing the maturation of ADAM10, although it did not alter the expression of BACE1 and PS1. Further electrophysiological and behavioral experiments showed that GALM overexpression significantly ameliorated the deficits in hippocampal CA1 long-term potentiation (LTP) and spatial learning and memory in AD model mice. Importantly, direct α-D-G (20 mg/kg, i.p.) also inhibited Aβ deposition by increasing the maturation of ADAM10, thereby improving hippocampal CA1 LTP and spatial learning and memory in AD model mice. Taken together, our results indicate that GALM shifts APP processing towards α-cleavage, preventing Aβ generation by increasing the level of mature ADAM10. These findings indicate that GALM may be a potential therapeutic target for AD, and α-D-G has the potential to be used as a dietary supplement for the prevention and treatment of AD.
Animals ; ADAM10 Protein/metabolism* ; Alzheimer Disease/pathology* ; Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Mice ; Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism* ; Male ; Mice, Transgenic ; Membrane Proteins/metabolism* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/pathology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor/metabolism* ; Female ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Long-Term Potentiation/physiology*