AIM: To investigate the influence of relevant inflammatory markers in peripheral blood on the progression of neovascular glaucoma(NVG)secondary to diabetic retinopathy(DR)patients.METHODS: Retrospective case-control study. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the presence or absence of NVG: those with proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR)alone(PDR group, n=148)and those with NVG secondary to PDR(NVG secondary to PDR group, n=142). Peripheral blood inflammatory markers were evaluated, including white blood cell-related indices, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio(MLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index(SII). The distinctions in peripheral blood inflammatory markers between the two groups of patients and their relationships with NVG secondary to PDR were analyzed.RESULTS:No statistically significant differences were observed in basic characteristics between the two groups, confirming their comparability. However, significant differences were found in eosinophil percentage and MLR between the PDR group and the NVG secondary to PDR group(all P<0.05), with both values being significantly higher in the NVG secondary to PDR group. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that the eosinophil percentage and the MLR were factors influencing the development of patients with NVG secondary to PDR.CONCLUSION: Eosinophil percentage and MLR may be associated with the progression of PDR to NVG, and could serve as potential predictive markers for NVG development in PDR patients.

Objective To analyze the disease burden of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) attributed to high body mass index (BMI) in China from 1992 to 2021 and predict the disease burden for the next decade, and to provide evidence for the prevention and treatment of CKD. Methods Using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database and the Joinpoint model, the average annual percentage rate change (AAPC) of the mortality rate and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rate was calculated to describe and analyze the CKD disease burden attributed to high BMI in China from 1992 to 2021. The ARIMA model was employed to predict and analyze the change trend of the CKD disease burden. Results From 1992 to 2021, the mortality rate and DALY rate attributed to high BMI-induced chronic kidney disease showed an upward trend. Compared to 1992, the attributed number of deaths increased by 324.38%, and DALYs increased by 268.56%; the mortality rate increased by 64.00%, and the DALY rate grew by 51.62%. From 1992 to 2021, the mortality rate and DALY rate for males were lower than those for females, but the growth rate for males exceeded that of females. From 1992 to 2021, the mortality rate and DALY rate of chronic kidney disease attributed to high BMI in China increased with age. The average annual change rate of chronic kidney disease attributed to high BMI in China from 1992 to 2021 (mortality rate: 1.40 per 100,000 (95% CI: 1.04–1.76), DALY rate: 1.43 per 100 000 (95% CI: 1.17–1.70)) was higher than thHuaiyin Normal University, Huai'anher social demographic index (SDI) regions. The ARIMA model predicted that the age-standardized mortality rate increased from 2.91 per 100 000 in 2022 to 3.05 per 100 000 in 2026, and the age-standardized DALY rate increased from 69.65 per 100 000 in 2022 to 73.58 per 100 000 in 2026. Conclusion Chronic kidney disease attributed to high BMI in China is on the rise, and it will continue to grow in the future. The focus of CKD prevention and control should be on males and the elderly, while active measures should be taken to reduce the occurrence and progression of chronic kidney disease.

AIM:To compare the efficacy and safety of early combination therapy with ranibizumab and dexamethasone intravitreal implants versus ranibizumab monotherapy for the treatment of macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion(RVO-ME).METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on a total of 62 cases(64 eyes)of patients who were first diagnosed with RVO-ME at the Eye Centre of the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Second Medical University between February 2022 and February 2023. The subjects were divided into two groups according to the different treatment regimens: 32 cases(34 eyes)in the monotherapy group received only ranibizumab [3+pro re nata(PRN)regimen], and 30 cases(30 eyes)in the combination therapy group were injected with ranibizumab once first, followed by dexamethasone intravitreal implant 3 wk later(1+DEX regimen). The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central retina thickness(CRT), foveal avascular zone(FAZ)area, macular vascular density(MVD)at the level of the deep vascular complex(DVC)of the retina, the incidence of ocular adverse effects, the number of drug injections, and the total cost between the two groups were compared before and after treatment.RESULTS: At 3 wk, 3 and 6 mo, and at the final follow-up of the two groups of patients, the improvement in BCVA, CRT, and MVD in the DVC layer was significantly better than that before treatment(all P<0.05); there were differences in the comparisons of BCVA and CRT between the two groups at 6 mo and the final follow-up(all P<0.05), and the increase in the number of letters of BCVA was the most pronounced in the combination therapy group at 6 mo of treatment. Statistical significant difference was observed in the comparison of MVD in the DVC layer between the two groups at 3 and 6 mo after treatment and at the final follow-up(all P<0.05). However, no significant change in FAZ area was evident before and after treatment in both groups(P>0.05). The combination therapy group exhibited a reduced number of injections and total cost in comparison to the monotherapy group. The combination therapy group exhibited a slightly higher incidence of high intraocular pressure and cataract progression compared to the monotherapy group, with no statistical significant difference(all P>0.05). Furthermore, no serious adverse events were observed in either group following treatment.CONCLUSION:Compared with ranibizumab alone, ranibizumab combined with dexamethasone intravitreal implant significantly improved vision, reduced macular edema, and lowered the frequency of injections and total treatment cost in patients with RVO-ME. CRT and MVD in the DVC layer are reliable prognostic indicators for patients with RVO-ME.

Intelligent algorithms， as the core element of artificial intelligence （AI）， have played an irreplaceable and key role in fields such as medical AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment. Meanwhile， they have also presented new features such as the complexity of interdisciplinary integration， the conflict of ethical convergence in science and technology， the duality of risks and benefits coexistence， and the concealment of algorithm black box calculations. These features lead to numerous ethical challenges， such as algorithm bias， data security， and difficulty in tracing responsibility. Therefore， it is urgent to break through these challenges by establishing a micro-ethical institutional system for intelligent medical algorithms， setting up an ethical supervision mechanism for the operation of intelligent medical algorithms， improving ethical norms for data security protection of intelligent medical algorithms， and strengthening ethical standards for the identification of the main responsibility of intelligent medical algorithms.

The investigator-initiated trials （IIT）， as a widely existing form of clinical research both domestically and internationally， have attracted the attention of governments around the world due to the potential legal risks and issues they may cause， and the trend of legal supervision has gradually strengthened. The legal regulation of IIT in China is still in its early stages， with numerous legal issues that need to be clarified and sorted out. Based on the domestic and international legal reviews of IIT， this paper systematically sorted out the current situation of legal supervision of IIT in China and examined the existing issues， including weak legislative rules， incomplete regulatory systems， imperfect protection rules for research participants and informed consent systems， inadequate regulation of conflicts of interest management， and lax legal supervision of ethical review. Furthermore， this paper proposed suggestions for legal regulation of IIT from three perspectives， including strengthening legislation and emphasizing regulation， improving the mechanism for protecting research participants’ rights and interests， and balancing the legalization of IIT and the scientific development of clinical research， with a view to providing references for legal regulatory paths of IIT in China.

Objective To investigate the clinical effects and complications of endoscopic tandem ligation and hemorrhoids ligation.Methods Clinical data of 120 patients with grade Ⅰ～Ⅲ internal hemorrhoids who were hospitalized due to hematochezia from November 2021 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.According to the different surgical methods,60 patients who received endoscopic hemorrhoid ligation were divided into control group;60 patients who underwent endoscopic tandem ligation were divided into treatment group.The effective rate of hemorrhoidal hemorrhage,the effect of internal hemorrhoidal prolapse and the incidence of postoperative complications were compared between two groups within 6 months after operation.Results The effective rate of internal hemorrhoidal bleeding was 100.00％in both groups,and the efficacy of the treatment group in the treatment of degree Ⅱ internal hemorrhoidal prolapse was similar to that in the control group(P＞0.05),but the treatment group was significantly better than the control group in the treatment of degree Ⅲ internal hemorrhoidal prolapse(P＜0.01),the postoperative anal pain in the treatment group was significantly more than the control group(P＜0.05);There were no significant differences in postoperative perianal pain,urinary retention,and abnormal defecation between the two groups(P＞0.05).No thrombotic external hemorrhoids occured in two groups.Conclusion The short-term efficacy of endoscopic tandem ligation and hemorrhoidal ligation in the treatment of internal hemorrhoidal bleeding is similar and both achieved satisfactory results,the short-term efficacy of the two in the treatment of degree Ⅱ internal hemorrhoidal prolapse is similar,the short-term efficacy of the former in the treatment of degree Ⅲ internal hemorrhoidal prolapse is significantly better,the feeling of anal heaviness in the treatment group is more than that in the control group,and there is no striking difference in the other complications.

ObjectiveTo investigate the immunological characteristics of the patients with aplastic anemia （AA） and elevated hemogram parameters treated with Yiqi Yangxue prescription combined with Western medicine and the predictive effects of immunological indexes on elevated hemogram parameters， thus providing a reference for the prediction of the treatment efficacy and the adjustment of the treatment regimen. MethodA retrospective study was conducted， involving 77 AA patients treated with Yiqi Yangxue prescription combined with Western medicine for 6 months in 19 medical institutions including Xiyuan Hospital， China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from September 2018 to March 2021. The patients were assigned into two groups according to the elevations in hemogram parameters ［including hemoglobin （HGB）， white blood cell count （WBC）， platelet （PLT）， and absolute neutrophil count （ANC）］ after 6 months of treatment. One group had the elevation <50%， and the other group had the elevation ≥50% compared with the baseline. The clinical and immunological characteristics were compared between the two groups. Result① Compared with the group with HGB elevation<50%， the group with HGB elevation≥50% showed elevated level of CD3⁺ human leukocyte antigen-DR （HLA-DR）⁺ and increased proportion of patients with T-helper cell type 2 （Th2）<5%， CD8⁺≥50%， and CD3⁺HLA-DR⁺≥9% before treatment （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that CD8⁺≥50% before treatment was the independent influencing factor for HGB elevation ≥50% ［odds ratio （OR）=12.000， 95% confidence interval （CI） 2.218， 64.928， P<0.01］. ② Compared with the group with WBC elevation<50%， the group with WBC elevation≥50% showed increased proportion of patients with CD3⁺HLA-DR⁺<6% and T-box transcription factor （T-bet）≥200% before treatment （P<0.05）. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that CD3⁺HLA-DR⁺<6% （OR=2.998， 95%CI 1.036， 8.680， P<0.05） and T-bet≥200% （OR=3.634， 95%CI 1.076， 12.273， P<0.05） before treatment were independent influencing factors for WBC elevation≥50%. ③ Compared with the group with PLT elevation<50%， the group with PLT elevation≥50% presented lowered Th1 and CD3⁺HLA-DR⁺ levels and increased proportion of patients with Th1<12%， CD4⁺≥6%， and CD3⁺HLA-DR⁺<5% before treatment （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that CD3⁺HLA-DR⁺<5% before treatment was the independent influencing factor for PLT elevation≥50% （OR=16.190， 95%CI of 3.430 to 76.434， P<0.01）. ④ Compared with the group with ANC elevation<50%， the group with ANC elevation≥50% showed no significant changes in the hemogram parameters before treatment. ConclusionAs for the AA patients with rapid elevation in HGB， Yiqi Yangxue prescription combined with Western medicine demonstrate significant effects in the patients with Th2<5% and CD3⁺HLA-DR⁺≥9%， especially those with CD8⁺≥50%. As for the AA patients with rapid elevation in WBC， the therapy was particularly effective in the patients with CD3⁺HLA-DR⁺<6% and T-bet≥200%. As for the AA patients with rapid growth in PLT， the therapy was particularly effective in the patients with Th1<12% and CD4⁺≥6%， especially those with CD3⁺HLA-DR⁺<5%.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect and mechanism of picroside Ⅱ on the malignant progression of non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）. METHODS A549 cells were divided into the control group， picroside Ⅱ low-， medium- and high- concentration groups， K6PC-5 [sphingosine kinase 1 （SPHK1） activator] group， and picroside Ⅱ high-dose+K6PC-5 group. Cell proliferation， migration and invasion were detected. Besides， the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA）， matrix metalloproteinase-2 （MMP-2）， MMP-9， SPHK1， sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 3 （S1PR3） and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 （ERK1/2） protein in the cells were also observed. BALB/c nude mice were subcutaneously inoculated with A549 cell suspension to establish NSCLC xenograft models. Then they were assigned to the nude mouse-control group， nude mouse-picroside Ⅱ low-， medium- and high-dose groups， nude mouse-K6PC-5 group， and nude mouse-picroside Ⅱ high-dose+K6PC-5 group （with 5 mice in each group） to investigate the effect of picroside Ⅱ on their tumor mass and volume. RESULTS Compared with the control group， the OD450 values， EdU-positive cell rates， scratch healing rates， cell invasion number， and the relative expression levels of PCNA， MMP-2， MMP-9， SPHK1， S1PR3 and ERK1/2 protein in the low-， medium- and high-concentration groups of picroside Ⅱ were significantly decreased. Compared with the nude mouse-control group， the tumor mass and volume in the nude mouse-low-， medium- and high-dose groups of picroside Ⅱ were significantly decreased or shrunk. The changes of above indicators were concentration/dose-dependent （P＜0.05）. The changing trend of the corresponding indicators in the K6PC-5 ZYTS181） group and the nude mouse-K6PC-5 group was opposite （P＜0.05）. Compared with the picroside Ⅱ high-concentration group or the nude mice-picroside Ⅱ high-dose group， the above quantitative indicators in the picroside Ⅱ high- concentration+K6PC-5 group cells and the nude mouse-picroside Ⅱ high-dose+K6PC-5 group nude mice were significantly increased or enlarged （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Picroside Ⅱ may inhibit the malignant progression of NSCLC by inhibiting SPHK1/sphingosine-1-phosphate/S1PR3 signaling pathway.

Background Salidroside (SAL) has a protective effect on multiple organ systems. Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) in the atmosphere may lead to disruptions in gut microbiota and impact intestinal health. The regulatory effect of SAL on the gut microbiota of mice exposed to PM_2.5 requires further investigation. Objective To evaluate gut microbiota disruption in mice after being exposed to PM_2.5 and the potential effect of SAL. Methods Forty male C57BL/6 mice, aged 6 to 8 weeks, were randomly divided into four groups: a control group, an SAL group, a PM_2.5 group, and an SAL+PM_2.5 group, each containing 10 mice. In the SAL group and the SAL+PM_2.5 group, the mice were administered SAL (60 mg·kg⁻¹) by gavage, while in the control group and the PM_2.5 group, sterile saline (10 mL·kg⁻¹) was administered by gavage. In the PM_2.5 group and the SAL+PM_2.5 group, PM_2.5 suspension (8 mg·kg⁻¹) was intratracheally instilled, and in the control group and SAL group, sterile saline (1.5 mL·kg⁻¹) was intratracheally administered. Each experiment cycle spanned 2 d, with a total of 10 cycles conducted over 20 d. Histopathological changes in the ileum tissue of the mice were observed after HE staining. Colon contents were collected for gut microbiota sequencing and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) measurements. Results The PM_2.5 group showed infiltration of inflammatory cells in the ileum tissue, while the SAL+PM_2.5 group exhibited only a small amount of inflammatory cell infiltration. Compared to the control group, the PM_2.5 group showed decreased Shannon index (P<0.05) and increased Simpson index (P<0.05), indicating that the diversity of gut microbiota in this group was decreased; the SAL+PM_2.5 group showed increased Shannon index compared to the PM_2.5 group (P<0.05) and decreased Simpson index (P<0.05), indicating that the diversity of gut microbiota in mice intervened with SAL was increased. The principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) revealed a significant separation between the PM_2.5 group and the control group, while the separation trend was less evident among the control group, the SAL group, and the SAL+PM_2.5 group. The unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means (UPGMA) clustering tree results showed that the control group and the SAL group clustered together first, followed by clustering with the SAL+PM_2.5 group, and finally, the three groups clustered with the PM_2.5 group. The PCoA and UPGMA clustering results indicated that the uniformity and similarity of the microbiota in the PM_2.5 group were significantly decreased. Compared to the control group, the PM_2.5 group showed decreased abundance of phylum Bacteroidetes and Candidatus_Saccharimonas (P<0.05) and increased abundance of phylum Proteobacteria, genus Escherichia, genus Bacteroides, genus Prevotella, genus Enterococcus, and genus Proteus (P<0.05). Compared to the PM_2.5 group, the SAL+PM_2.5 group showed decreased abundance of phylum Proteobacteria, phylum Actinobacteria, genus Prevotella, and genus Proteus (P<0.05), and increased abundance of Candidatus_Saccharimonas (P<0.05). The PM_2.5 group showed reduced levels of propionic acid, valeric acid, and hexanoic acid compared to the control group (P<0.05), while the SAL+PM_2.5 group showed increased levels of propionic acid, isobutyric acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, and hexanoic acid compared to the PM_2.5 group (P<0.05). Conclusion Exposure to PM_2.5 can cause pathological alterations, microbial dysbiosis, and disturbing production of SCFAs in intestinal tissue in mice. However, SAL can provide a certain degree of protective effect against these changes.

It is a new requirement of the new era that medical humanities courses and ideological and political courses should go together with each other. There is an inherent logic in the collaborative education of the two courses, which has the consistency of ideas, the commonality of goals, the intersection of contents and the mutual learning of methods. In practice, it is necessary to combine education with talent, theory with practice, indoctrination with penetration, online with offline, so as to improve the effectiveness of collaborative education between medical humanities courses and ideological and political courses.