AIM: To explore the impacts of wearing orthokeratology lenses on the ocular surface and meibomian gland of children and adolescents in high-altitude areas.METHODS: Retrospective study. Myopic children and adolescents who visited at the ophthalmology department and received orthokeratology lens from June 2023 to December 2023 were selected as orthokeratology group, and those who visited and wore regular spectacle group during the same period were selected as regular spectacle group. Then the ocular surface disease index(OSDI)score, tear meniscus height, non-invasive breakup time(NIBUT)[first NIBUT(fNIBUT), average NIBUT(avNIBUT)], and meibomian gland score were compared between the two groups before wearing lenses, and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 mo after wearing lenses.RESULTS: A total of 80 children(160 eyes)with myopia were included in this study. Among them, 40 cases(80 eyes)were in the orthokeratology lens group, with 25 males and 15 females and an average age of 11.33±2.76 years old, and 40 cases(80 eyes)were in the regular spectacle group, with 23 males and 17 females and an average age of 11.58±2.94 years old. The OSDI scores and tear meniscus heights showed no clear difference between two groups at various time points before and after wearing glasses(all P>0.05). The fNIBUT and avNIBUT of the orthokeratology lens group decreased compared with the regular spectacle group at 6 and 12 mo after wearing lenses, and meibomian gland score of the orthokeratology group was higher than that of the regular spectacle group at 12 mo after wearing lenses(all P<0.001). Among them, the fNIBUT and avNIBUT of the orthokeratology lenses group at 3, 6, and 12 mo after wearing glasses were lower than those before wearing glasses(all P<0.05). Moreover, the meibomian gland scores of the orthokeratology lenses group at 12 mo after wearing glasses were higher than those before wearing glasses, and 1, 3, and 6 mo after wearing glasses(all P<0.05), while there was no statistical difference in fNIBUT, avNIBUT, and meibomian gland score at each time point in the regular spectacle group(all P>0.05).CONCLUSION: Long term wearing of orthokeratology lenses can shorten the NIBUT of myopic children and adolescents in high-altitude areas, and have a certain impact on their meibomian gland function.

Objective To explore the predictive performance of machine learning models integrating clinico-pathological features and inflammatory markers for lymphovascular invasion (LVI) before gastric cancer surgery. Methods A retrospective cohort of 193 gastric cancer patients from The First Hospital of Lanzhou University (training set) and 185 patients from Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University (validation set) was included. Preoperative clinical pathological characteristics, tumor markers, and inflammatory markers were collected to identify independent risk factors for LVI. Six machine learning models were established in the training set. Model performance was evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), calibration curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), and Brier scores. Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) was applied for model interpretability. Results The multivariate logistic regression showed increased tumor invasion depth (T-stage), lymph node metastases (N-stage), and the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) were independent risk factors for gastric cancer LVI (P＜0.05). Using these three indicators, 6 machine learning models were developed, all of which demonstrated favorable predictive performance, with 0.79 and 0.76 of minimum AUC values in the training set and the validation set, respectively. Among them, the light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) model exhibited the best overall performance, achieving AUCs of 0.83 and 0.82 in the training set and the validation set, along with Brier scores of 0.163 and 0.187, respectively. Calibration and DCA curves further confirmed that the model possesses strong predictive accuracy and application value. SHAP analysis showed the feature importance in LightGBM model, identifying the N-stage as the top contributor, followed by the T-stage and the SII. Conclusion The machine learning models incorporating clinical pathological features and inflammatory indicators can effectively predict LVI status in gastric cancer, with the LightGBM model demonstrating optimal performance.

To effectively exploit the tumor microenvironment (TME), TME-responsive nanocarriers based on cascade reactions have received much attention. In this study, we designed a novel nanoparticle PB@SiO₂@MnO₂@P-Arg (PMP) to construct a cascade reaction nanoplatform. While using biosafety Prussian blue (PB) for photothermal therapy (PTT), this nanoplatform uses silica (SiO₂) as an intermediate layer to assemble Prussian blue and manganese dioxide (MnO₂) into a core-shell structure, which effectively enhances the response of the nanoplatform to TME and promotes the effect of chemodynamic therapy (CDT) resulting from glutathione (GSH) depletion and Fenton-like reaction. The released Mn²⁺ can also be used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Through the cascade reaction, poly-l-arginine (P-Arg) coated on the surface of the nanoparticles can react with hydroxyl radical (•OH) obtained from the Fenton-like reaction to release nitric oxide (NO), which further reacts with O₂•^- to produce the more toxic peroxynitrite anion (ONOO^-). The photothermal effect of PB further enhances the effect of the cascade reaction while reducing the amount of heat required for treatment. In vitro and in vivo studies confirmed the antitumor effects of cascade reaction-based nanoplatforms in combined photothermal/chemodynamic/gas cancer therapies, providing new strategies for the design and fabrication of multifunctional nanoplatforms that integrate diagnostic and therapeutic functions, as well as the application of cascade reactions in multimodal synergistic therapy.

To investigate the potential protective effect of thalidomide (THD) on diabetic nephropathy (DN) and its underlying mechanisms. Twenty-four C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control, DN and DN+THD200 groups by random number table method. The DN mouse model was established via intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The DN+THD200 group received THD treatment (200 mg·kg -1·d -1) for 8 weeks. Blood and urine biochemical parameters, as well as renal histopathological changes, were compared among the three groups. For in vitro experiments, a high glucose (HG)-induced injury model was established in mouse glomerular podocytes (MPC5). Cells were divided into control (NG), HG, HG+DMSO, HG+THD100 (100 μg/ml), and HG+THD200 (200 μg/ml) groups. THD-treated cells were exposed to THD for 24 h. Western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR were performed to respectively detect protein and mRNA expression levels of ferroptosis-related molecules, including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). Immunofluorescence was used to evaluate the expression of solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE). The results showed that, compared with control group, DN group exhibited significantly lower blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and 24 h urinary albumin levels (all P<0.05). Compared with DN group, DN+THD200 group exhibited significantly lower blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and 24 h urinary albumin levels (all P<0.05). Histopathological examination revealed glomerular expansion, mesangial widening, and basement membrane thickening in DN group compared to control group, which were markedly ameliorated by THD treatment. In vitro, HG group showed significantly decreased protein and mRNA expression levels of GPX4, NRF2 and HO-1 compared to NG group. Both HG+THD100 and HG+THD200 groups exhibited upregulated expression levels of these proteins and corresponding mRNA compared to HG group (all P<0.05). Immunofluorescence demonstrated HG group had enhanced 4-HNE fluorescence intensity and reduced SLC7A11 fluorescence intensity, which were reversed by THD treatment. THD alleviates renal injury in DN mice and mitigates HG-induced ferroptosis in MPC5 cells, potentially via activation of NRF2-HO-1-GPX4 signaling pathway.

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pertussis in children and the antimicrobial resistance pattern of Bordetella pertussis isolates in Anhui province in 2024. Methods:Prospective observational study. The demographic information of 4 233 cases of pertussis confirmed by nucleic acid testing in Anhui Provincial Children′s Hospital in 2024 and the clinical data of hospitalized cases were collected. The annual epidemic trend of pertussis in children, the clinical characteristics of hospitalized cases, and the vaccination status were analyzed. Bordetella pertussis isolates were recovered from nasopharyngeal swabs obtained from hospitalized children and their family caregivers during the outbreak period and antimicrobial susceptibility was tested. Results:Among the 4 233 children, 2 330 were male and 1 903 were female. A total of 4 059 cases (95.9%) occurred from March to September, with the peak of the disease from April to July (3 364 cases (79.5%)).There were 4 075 cases (96.3%) aged 9 years and under, among which 718 cases (17.0%) were under 1 year old and 2 494 cases (58.9%) were aged 4 to 7 years. During the outbreak period, there were a total of 301 hospitalized children (7.1%), with an average age of 4.4 (2.8, 16.5) months. Among them, 61 cases (20.3%) received the full course of vaccination (4 doses), 64 cases (21.3%) received partial doses of the vaccine, and 176 cases (58.5%) were unvaccinated. Among the unvaccinated children, 79.6% (172/216) were under 1 year old, 8.7% (2/23) were between 1 and 3 years old, and 3.2% (2/62) were 3 years old or older. None of the 20 cases (6.6%) of severe pertussis received pertussis vaccine.Among the 301 hospitalized children, 298 cases (99.0%) presented with typical paroxysmal spasmodic cough, 94 cases (31.2%) had vomiting after coughing, 82 cases (27.2%) had whooping sounds, and 54 cases (17.9%) had cyanotic attacks. There were 228 cases (75.7%) complicated with pneumonia and 5 cases (1.7%) with pertussis encephalopathy. The infection rate among the accompanying family members who underwent screening was 77.1% (371/481). Based on the minimum inhibitory concentration testing of 186 Bordetella pertussis isolates, the minimum inhibitory concentration 90 of azithromycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were >256.000 and 0.050 mg/L, respectively. Conclusions:The peak of pertussis cases in Anhui region in 2024 occurred from April to July. Children aged ≤9 years were the major affected population. Infants and preschool children were most susceptible to pertussis. The intrafamily transmission rate of pertussis is high. Empirical use of macrolides for the treatment of pertussis is not recommended. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole can be used as the preferred antibiotic for pertussis in children aged 2 months and above.

This article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of Stemonae Radix from the aspects of name， origin， harvesting and processing， quality and others by consulting ancient and modern literature， in order to provide reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this medicinal herb. Stemonae Radix has a long history of application， and it derives its name from its distinctive growth pattern， featuring clusters of ten to several dozen underground tuberous roots. This morphology resembles that of certain plants in the genus Asparagus， leading to historical instances where tuberous roots from genus Asparagus were mistakenly used as Stemonae Radix. After the research， it can be concluded that Stemonae Radix was first recorded in Mingyi Bielu， and throughout history， Baidu has been recognized as its official name， though it also bears alternative names such as Baibing， Pofucao and Ye Tianmendong. The mainstream sources used throughout history have been the dried tuberous roots of Stemona sessilifolia， S. japonica or S. tuberosa from the family Stemonaceae. This aligns with the 2025 edition of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China（hereinafter referred to as Chinese Pharmacopoeia）. Additionally， Asparagus filicinus and A. officinalis from the genus Asparagus are common sources of confusion with Stemonae Radix. The three primitive plants are mainly distributed in the Yangtze River basin and southern China， exhibiting a wide distribution. Historically， wild harvesting was predominant， but cultivation is now established. In ancient times， the harvesting time was mostly in the second， third， and eighth lunar months， when roots were harvested and dried. Nowadays， it is more common to pick and excavate in the spring and autumn seasons. After excavation， the roots are washed， fibrous roots removed， briefly blanched in boiling water or steamed until no white core remains， and then sun-dried or oven-dried. In ancient times， the processing of Stemonae Radix primarily involved roasting（stir-frying）， wine roasting， or raw materials. Modern mainstream processing specifications include two types of raw and honey-roasted products. In terms of quality evaluation of the medicinal materials， ancient criteria of "preferring plump and moist roots" align with modern requirement favoring "thick， robust stems with firm texture". Evaluating quality with authenticity， since the Song dynasty， it has been highly praised to produce in Chuzhou and Hengyang as the best. It was an ancient method of fixing the production area to stabilize the medicinal origin， reflecting the ancient recognition of the therapeutic efficacy of plants belonging to the genus Stemona. The main functions of Stemonae Radix remain consistent throughout history， including relieving coughs， eliminating phlegm and parasites. Based on the research results， it is recommended that when developing famous classical formulas containing the medicinal material Stemonae Radix， the botanical source specified in the 2025 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia should be selected. The specific species can be determined according to the distribution of resources and the main production areas， and the origin and corresponding botanical source should be fixed. Processing methods should be chosen based on the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specified requirements.

This article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of Stemonae Radix from the aspects of name， origin， harvesting and processing， quality and others by consulting ancient and modern literature， in order to provide reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this medicinal herb. Stemonae Radix has a long history of application， and it derives its name from its distinctive growth pattern， featuring clusters of ten to several dozen underground tuberous roots. This morphology resembles that of certain plants in the genus Asparagus， leading to historical instances where tuberous roots from genus Asparagus were mistakenly used as Stemonae Radix. After the research， it can be concluded that Stemonae Radix was first recorded in Mingyi Bielu， and throughout history， Baidu has been recognized as its official name， though it also bears alternative names such as Baibing， Pofucao and Ye Tianmendong. The mainstream sources used throughout history have been the dried tuberous roots of Stemona sessilifolia， S. japonica or S. tuberosa from the family Stemonaceae. This aligns with the 2025 edition of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China（hereinafter referred to as Chinese Pharmacopoeia）. Additionally， Asparagus filicinus and A. officinalis from the genus Asparagus are common sources of confusion with Stemonae Radix. The three primitive plants are mainly distributed in the Yangtze River basin and southern China， exhibiting a wide distribution. Historically， wild harvesting was predominant， but cultivation is now established. In ancient times， the harvesting time was mostly in the second， third， and eighth lunar months， when roots were harvested and dried. Nowadays， it is more common to pick and excavate in the spring and autumn seasons. After excavation， the roots are washed， fibrous roots removed， briefly blanched in boiling water or steamed until no white core remains， and then sun-dried or oven-dried. In ancient times， the processing of Stemonae Radix primarily involved roasting（stir-frying）， wine roasting， or raw materials. Modern mainstream processing specifications include two types of raw and honey-roasted products. In terms of quality evaluation of the medicinal materials， ancient criteria of "preferring plump and moist roots" align with modern requirement favoring "thick， robust stems with firm texture". Evaluating quality with authenticity， since the Song dynasty， it has been highly praised to produce in Chuzhou and Hengyang as the best. It was an ancient method of fixing the production area to stabilize the medicinal origin， reflecting the ancient recognition of the therapeutic efficacy of plants belonging to the genus Stemona. The main functions of Stemonae Radix remain consistent throughout history， including relieving coughs， eliminating phlegm and parasites. Based on the research results， it is recommended that when developing famous classical formulas containing the medicinal material Stemonae Radix， the botanical source specified in the 2025 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia should be selected. The specific species can be determined according to the distribution of resources and the main production areas， and the origin and corresponding botanical source should be fixed. Processing methods should be chosen based on the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specified requirements.

Objective:To observe and analyze the subtype-specific prognostic factors for visual recovery in patients with demyelinating optic neuritis (DON) after glucocorticoid pulse therapy.Methods:A retrospective cohort study. A total of 195 patients (249 eyes) with DON diagnosed by ophthalmology examination at Department of Ophthalmology, Xi'an People's Hospital (Xi'an Fourth Hospital) from January 2021 to December 2024 were included in the study. According to the results of serum antibody detection and clinical diagnostic criteria, the patients were divided into the neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)-associated optic neuritis (ON) (NMOSD-ON) group, the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antitide-associated ON (MOG-ON) group, and the double antibody negative ON group. They were 51 cases (58 eyes), 72 cases (103 eyes), and 72 cases (88 eyes) respectively. Baseline clinical data, imaging characteristics, and treatment protocols were collected. The primary endpoints were complete visual recovery [best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ≥ 1.0] and moderate recovery (BCVA ≥0.5) at 3 months post-onset. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent prognostic factors for visual outcomes within each subtype.Results:At 3 months post-onset, complete recovery rates were 9 (15.5%, 9/58) in the NMOSD-ON group, 64 (62.1%, 64/103) in the MOG-ON group, and 31 (35.2%, 31/88) in the double-seronegative ON group. The results of multivariate regression analysis showed that age [odds ratio ( OR) =0.901, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 0.854-0.950, P<0.001] and peak visual acuity ( OR=0.311, 95% CI 0.147-0.660, P=0.002) and the involvement of optic nerve length ≥1/2 ( OR=3.849, 95% CI 1.083-13.682, P=0.037) were the influencing factors for the complete recovery of visual acuity in the affected eyes of the double antibody negative ON group. Age ( OR=0.958, 95% CI 0.933-0.983, P=0.001) was the only influencing factor for the complete recovery of visual acuity in the affected eyes of the MOG-ON group. Peak visual acuity ( OR=0.288, 95% CI 0.090-0.927, P=0.037) and optic nerve involvement length ≥1/2 ( OR=19.974, 95% CI 1.905-209.559, P=0.013) were the influencing factors for the complete recovery of visual acuity in the affected eyes of the NMOSD-ON group. Age ( OR=0.936, 95% CI 0.890-0.983, P=0.009), time from onset to intravenous infusion of methylprednisolone sodium succinate intervention ( OR=0.854, 95% CI 0.759-0.961, P=0.009), optic disc edema ( OR=4.405, 95% CI 1.108-17.512, P=0.035) and peak visual acuity ( OR=0.13, 95% CI 0.046-0.365, P<0.001) were the influencing factors for the moderate recovery of visual acuity in the affected eyes of the double antibody negative ON group. Peak visual acuity was the only influencing factor for the moderate recovery of visual acuity in the MOG-ON group ( OR=0.060, 95% CI 0.010-0.352, P=0.002) and the NMOSD-ON group ( OR=0.163, 95% CI 0.053-0.500, P=0.001). Conclusions:The prognostic factors for visual recovery in patients with DON after glucocorticoid pulse therapy are subtype-specific. Peak visual acuity is a common predictor for all subtypes. For NMOSD-ON and double antibody-negative ON, attention should be paid to the length of optic nerve lesions. MOG-ON is age-related. Early intravenous infusion of methylprednisolone sodium succinate for double antiantibody negative ON is more likely to achieve moderate vision recovery.

Objective·To identify and evaluate novel and reliable non-invasive serological biomarkers for detecting pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC).Methods·Sixty-seven PDAC patients(Ruijin cohort Ⅰ)were recruited at Pancreatic Center,Ruijin Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,from May 2018 to December 2019.Global proteome profiling of 67 PDAC tumor tissues and 67 matched adjacent normal tissues was performed using mass spectrum.Bioinformatics analysis on the proteomics data was conducted to identify new biomarkers,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and the area under the curve(AUC)were used to evaluate their value of detecting PDAC.The proteomic and mRNA sequencing data were further downloaded and analysed from the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium(CPTAC)cohort for validation.In addition,the Ruijin Cohort Ⅱ,consisting of 47 PDAC patients and 75 healthy individuals,was recruited for a case-control study from June 2021 to June 2022.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the expression level of new biomarkers in the serum of patients and healthy individuals to evaluate the serological diagnostic values of them.Results·Collagen type Ⅻ α1 chain(COL12A1)was identified as a candidate biomarker for PDAC diagnosis based on differential expression analysis on the proteomic data and was validated to be higher in tumor tissues than in adjacent normal tissues in the CPTAC cohort.In addition,COL12A1 protein levels were significantly higher in the sera of PDAC patients than in those of healthy controls,showing good diagnostic performance with an AUC of 0.82,a sensitivity of 81%,and a specificity of 83%.ROC analysis revealed that COL12A1 improved the performance of carbohydrate antigen 199(CA199)in distinguishing PDAC patients from healthy individuals(AUCCA199=0.91 vs AUCCA199+COL12A1=0.95,P<0.05).Furthermore,COL12A1 also showed excellent ability to distinguish early-stage PDAC patients(stage Ⅰ?Ⅱ)from healthy individuals(AUCCOL12A1=0.83),and significantly improved the AUC of CA199 in early-stage PDAC patients(AUCCA199=0.92 vs AUCCA199+COL12A1=0.97,P<0.05).Conclusion·COL12A1 is a potential serological diagnostic marker that complements CA199 in detecting early-stage PDAC.

Objective:To observe and analyze the subtype-specific prognostic factors for visual recovery in patients with demyelinating optic neuritis (DON) after glucocorticoid pulse therapy.Methods:A retrospective cohort study. A total of 195 patients (249 eyes) with DON diagnosed by ophthalmology examination at Department of Ophthalmology, Xi'an People's Hospital (Xi'an Fourth Hospital) from January 2021 to December 2024 were included in the study. According to the results of serum antibody detection and clinical diagnostic criteria, the patients were divided into the neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)-associated optic neuritis (ON) (NMOSD-ON) group, the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antitide-associated ON (MOG-ON) group, and the double antibody negative ON group. They were 51 cases (58 eyes), 72 cases (103 eyes), and 72 cases (88 eyes) respectively. Baseline clinical data, imaging characteristics, and treatment protocols were collected. The primary endpoints were complete visual recovery [best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ≥ 1.0] and moderate recovery (BCVA ≥0.5) at 3 months post-onset. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent prognostic factors for visual outcomes within each subtype.Results:At 3 months post-onset, complete recovery rates were 9 (15.5%, 9/58) in the NMOSD-ON group, 64 (62.1%, 64/103) in the MOG-ON group, and 31 (35.2%, 31/88) in the double-seronegative ON group. The results of multivariate regression analysis showed that age [odds ratio ( OR) =0.901, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 0.854-0.950, P<0.001] and peak visual acuity ( OR=0.311, 95% CI 0.147-0.660, P=0.002) and the involvement of optic nerve length ≥1/2 ( OR=3.849, 95% CI 1.083-13.682, P=0.037) were the influencing factors for the complete recovery of visual acuity in the affected eyes of the double antibody negative ON group. Age ( OR=0.958, 95% CI 0.933-0.983, P=0.001) was the only influencing factor for the complete recovery of visual acuity in the affected eyes of the MOG-ON group. Peak visual acuity ( OR=0.288, 95% CI 0.090-0.927, P=0.037) and optic nerve involvement length ≥1/2 ( OR=19.974, 95% CI 1.905-209.559, P=0.013) were the influencing factors for the complete recovery of visual acuity in the affected eyes of the NMOSD-ON group. Age ( OR=0.936, 95% CI 0.890-0.983, P=0.009), time from onset to intravenous infusion of methylprednisolone sodium succinate intervention ( OR=0.854, 95% CI 0.759-0.961, P=0.009), optic disc edema ( OR=4.405, 95% CI 1.108-17.512, P=0.035) and peak visual acuity ( OR=0.13, 95% CI 0.046-0.365, P<0.001) were the influencing factors for the moderate recovery of visual acuity in the affected eyes of the double antibody negative ON group. Peak visual acuity was the only influencing factor for the moderate recovery of visual acuity in the MOG-ON group ( OR=0.060, 95% CI 0.010-0.352, P=0.002) and the NMOSD-ON group ( OR=0.163, 95% CI 0.053-0.500, P=0.001). Conclusions:The prognostic factors for visual recovery in patients with DON after glucocorticoid pulse therapy are subtype-specific. Peak visual acuity is a common predictor for all subtypes. For NMOSD-ON and double antibody-negative ON, attention should be paid to the length of optic nerve lesions. MOG-ON is age-related. Early intravenous infusion of methylprednisolone sodium succinate for double antiantibody negative ON is more likely to achieve moderate vision recovery.