AIM: To investigate the influence of pterygium thickness and area on corneal refractive status.METHODS: Prospective longitudinal study. A total of 60 cases(60 eyes)of pterygium patients admitted to our hospital from January 2024 to September 2024 were randomly selected. All patients underwent pterygium excision combined with pedicle conjunctival flap transplantation for treatment. Optical coherence tomography(OCT)was used to measure the preoperative thickness of patient's pterygium, and a digital slit lamp microscope was used to measure the area of pterygium. The corneal refractive status(degree of corneal astigmatism and average curvature)and changes in uncorrected visual acuity of patients before surgery, 1 d, 1, and 3 mo after surgery were compared. The relationship between preoperative thickness and area of pterygium in patients and corneal refractive status indicators at different postoperative time points were analyzed, and Logistic regression was used to analyze the impact of pterygium thickness and area on postoperative visual improvement in patients.RESULTS: All patients completed follow-up after surgery for 3 mo. At 3 mo after surgery, visual acuity improved in 21 eyes(35%). The results of bivariate Pearson correlation analysis showed that the thickness and area of pterygium positively correlated with the degree of corneal astigmatism and uncorrected visual acuity before surgery and 1 d, 1, and 3 mo after surgery(all P<0.05), and negatively correlated with the average corneal curvature before surgery and 1 d, 1, and 3 mo after surgery(all P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the thickness and area of pterygium before surgery, high degree of corneal astigmatism, and low uncorrected visual acuity(large LogMAR value)were all risk factors for poor postoperative visual improvement in patients(OR>1, P<0.05). The large average corneal curvature before surgery was a protective factor for poor postoperative visual improvement in patients(OR<1, P<0.05).CONCLUSION: The increase in thickness and area of pterygium can, to some extent, improve corneal astigmatism, reduce the average curvature of the cornea, and affect postoperative visual recovery.

BACKGROUND:Currently,exercise therapy is an effective non-pharmacological treatment for low back pain,and exercise therapy can maintain lumbar spine stabilization through mechanical-chemical coupling between bones and muscles,but there is no clear description of the research progress and optimal treatment protocols for exercise therapy to relieve chronic non-specific lower back pain through mechanical-chemical coupling. OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress related to the influence of paravertebral muscles on lumbar spine stabilization during exercise therapy through mechanical-chemical coupling,which in turn relieves chronic non-specific lower back pain,as well as the current optimal treatment protocols of exercise therapy for chronic non-specific lower back pain. METHODS:Literature searches were performed in WanFang database,CNKI,VIP,Web of Science,and PubMed database,with search terms of"chronic non-specific low back pain,lumbar spine stabilization,paravertebral muscles,exercise therapy"in Chinese and English.Relevant literature published from database inception to January 2024 was searched and 93 articles were included for final summarization. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Exercise therapy can act on the paravertebral muscles and bones through appropriate mechanical stimulation and produce corresponding changes.Exercise therapy is an important intervention for chronic non-specific lower back pain as it improves the quality of the paravertebral muscles,primarily through mechanical-chemical coupling,and thus maintains lumbar spine stabilization for better relief of chronic non-specific lower back pain.However,there are no clear reports on the exact effective protocols for exercise therapy to treat chronic non-specific lower back pain through lumbar spine stabilization.The development of an individualized exercise program is particularly important for the treatment and prognosis of chronic non-specific low back pain.Muscle mass and bone mass of the same individual are closely related,and imaging assessment of paravertebral muscle mass and quantity is important for disease detection and intervention.

Objective : To construct triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2(TREM2) gene knockout(TREM2-/-) mice using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, to breed TREM2-/- mice and to analyze the genotype of TREM2-/- mice. Methods : CRISPR/Cas9 technology was used to selectively knock out exon 2-3 regions of TREM2 gene to construct a TREM2-/- mouse model, and the genetic background of all mice was C57BL/6J. Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was used to identify the genotype of mice. Quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR) and Western blot were used to detect the expression level of TREM2 in major tissues of mice, and the authenticity and scientific nature of PCR identification results were verified from mRNA level and protein level. According to the sgRNA sequence, the possible off-target sites were predicted on the CCTop website, and the tail DNA of mice was extracted and amplified by PCR and then Sanger sequencing was performed to detect whether there was off-target effect in TREM2-/- mice. Results : TREM2-/- mice were successfully constructed by CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and the mice were genotyped. The results of agarose gel electrophoresis showed that the mouse genotype with only 415 bp band amplified was wild type(WT), the mouse genotype of the 449 bp band amplified only was TREM2-/-, and the mouse genotypes amplified with 415 bp and 449 bp double bands were heterozygous. qPCR results showed that compared with WT mice, the mRNA expression of TREM2 in heart and brain tissues of TREM2-/- mice was down-regulated(P-/- mice was reduced(P-/- mice. Conclusion TREM2-/- mice are successfully constructed and bred, a reliable genotype identification method is established, the genetic stability of the mouse model is verified, which will provide an important genetic animal model for the study of TREM2 gene function.

Objective To explore the protective effect of L-carnitine on myocardial systolic dysfunction in sepsis and its underlying mechanism.Methods A mouse sepsis model was established by cecal ligation and puncture(CLP).Ten-week-old male SPF-grade C57BL/6 mice(body weight 20～30 g)were randomly divided into 5 groups via random number table:Sham group,Sepsis group,L-carnitine group,L-carnitine+Etomoxir(Eto)group,and Eto group.Echocardiography assessed cardiac function,ELISA measured serum creatine kinase isoenzyme MB(CK-MB)levels,and 72-hour survival rates were recorded to evaluate L-carnitine's effects on cardiac function.Cardiomyocytes were isolated,and a cell microtensiometer was used to detect cardiomyocyte contractile function and calcium transients.Myocardial tissues were collected from each group,and ELISA was used to determine the contents of triglyceride(TG),free fatty acid(FFA),and adenosine triphosphate(ATP).An in vitro sepsis model was constructed by stimulating HL-1 cardiomyocytes with lipopolysaccharide(LPS)for 12 hours,which was divided into 5 groups:control(CTRL)group,LPS group,L-carnitine group,L-carnitine+Eto group,and Eto group.ELISA was used to detect the contents of TG,FFA,and ATP as well as the activity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A(CPT1A)in cardiomyocytes.A cellular energy metabolism analysis system was employed to measure fatty acid oxidation capacity,and Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of CPT1A in cardiomyocytes.BODIPY-FL-C16(green fluorescently labeled palmitic acid)was utilized to detect the distribution of fatty acids in the cytoplasm and mitochondria via immunofluorescence technology,thereby observing the ability of cells to transport fatty acids into mitochondria.Results Compared with the Sham group,cardiac function was significantly impaired in the Sepsis group,as evidenced by decreased ejection fraction and mean arterial pressure(P<0.05),along with elevated levels of the cardiac injury marker CK-MB(P<0.05).Treatment with L-carnitine significantly improved myocardial function,restored blood pressure in septic mice,and increased their survival rate from 12.50%to 81.25%(P<0.05).Compared with the Sham group,the contractile function and calcium transients of acutely isolated single cardiomyocytes were significantly reduced in the Sepsis group(P<0.05),while L-carnitine treatment remarkably restored the contractile function and calcium release capacity of septic cardiomyocytes(P<0.05).Both in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that TG and FFA levels were significantly increased(P<0.05),and ATP levels was significantly decreased(P<0.05)in the Sepsis and LPS groups—effects significantly reversed by L-carnitine treatment.Compared with the CTRL group,the basal oxidation rate and maximum oxidation capacity of fatty acids in cardiomyocytes of the LPS group were significantly reduced(P<0.05),and L-carnitine treatment notably improved these indicators.Compared with the CTRL group,the expression and activity of CPT1A in cardiomyocytes of the LPS group were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while L-carnitine treatment significantly increased the expression and activity of CPT1A(P<0.05).In LPS group cardiomyocytes,green fluorescently labeled palmitic acid primarily formed numerous granular/clumpy aggregates in the cytoplasm with minimal mitochondrial colocalization.In the L-carnitine group,the green fluorescent granules in the cytoplasm of cardiomyocytes were smaller,and colocalization with mitochondria was increased.However,the L-carnitine+Eto group exhibited similar phenomena to the LPS group.In addition,both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that treatment with the CPT1A inhibitor Eto reversed the effect of L-carnitine.Compared with the L-carnitine group,the ATP content in the L-carnitine+Eto group was significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the FFA content was significantly increased(P<0.05).Conclusion L-carnitine facilitates fatty acid entry into mitochondria for β-oxidation via a CPT1A-dependent mechanism,thereby ameliorating fatty acid oxidation dysfunction in septic cardiomyocytes and improving myocardial contractile function.

Objective : To investigate the expression and clinical significance of kynurenine-3-monooxygenase (KMO) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( PBMC ) ，synovial tissue ，and fibroblastic-like synovial cells (FLS) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients． Methods : Peripheral blood samples from 25 healthy control ( HC) individuals and 25 patients diagnosed with RA were collected ，and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot were used to detect KMO gene and protein expression in PBMC of RA and HC groups，and to analyze the correlation between the expression level of the KMO gene in the PBMC of the RA patients and the indexes of the laboratory tests．Meanwhile，immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to detect KMO expression in synovial tissue and FLS in RA and HC groups． Results : ① KMO gene and protein expression in PBMC of RA group were higher than that of HC group，and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0. 001) ．② The level of KMO gene expression in PBMC of RA group was positively correlated with disease activity index 28 score，blood sedimentation，and rheumatoid factor (rs = 0. 417，P = 0. 038 ; r = 0. 545，P = 0. 005 ; rs = 0. 433，P = 0. 031) ， and had no correlation with C-reactive protein and anti-cyclic citrullinated polypeptide antibody．③ KMO expres- sion in synovial tissue of RA group was higher than that of HC group，and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0. 01) ; KMO expression in FLS of synovial tissue of RA group was higher than that of HC group，and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜0. 001) ． Conclusion KMO expression increases in PBMC ，synovial tissue and FLS of RA patients，and the level of KMO gene expression is correlated with the disease activity of RA patients，suggesting that KMO may promote the course of RA．

Fibroblast activation protein inhibitors(FAPI)can specifically bind to fibroblast activation protein,which is highly expressed in tumor stroma,and 68Ga-FAPI do not get involved into the procedure of glucose metabolism in tumor cells.68Ga-FAPI PET/CT and PET/MR can be used for displaying malignant tumors at various sites and play a unique role for diagnosis and differential diagnosis.The research progresses of 68 Ga-FAPI-based PET/CT and PET/MR for diagnosing malignant tumors were reviewed in this article.

Objective:To investigate correlation between neutrophil lymphocyte ratio(NLR),IL-6 and lymphocyte subsets and prognosis of viral pneumonia complicated with acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS).Methods:A total of 98 patients with viral pneumonia complicated with ARDS admitted to Xinxiang Central Hospital/the Fourth Clinical College from May 2017 to June 2019 were selected,NLR,IL-6 and lymphocyte subsets expressions in patients with different severity were analyzed.Correlation between NLR,IL-6 and lymphocyte subsets levels in prognosis of viral pneumonia complicated with ARDS was analyzed by Pearson correlation.Logistc regression was used to analyze prognostic risk factors of viral pneumonia complicated with ARDS.Results:With aggravation of viral pneumonia complicated with ARDS,NLR and IL-6 levels were significantly increased(P<0.05),while CD3+T,CD4+T and CD19+T cells levels were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Pearson correlation analysis results showed that NLR and IL-6 were positively correlated with prognosis of viral pneumonia complicated with ARDS(P<0.05),while CD3+T,CD4+T,CD19+T and CD8+T cells were negatively correlated with prognosis of ARDS with viral pneumonia(P<0.05).Multivariate Logistic analysis showed that NLR,IL-6,CD3+T and CD19+T cells were risk factors for viral pneumonia complicated with ARDS(P<0.05).Conclusion:Serum NLR,IL-6,CD3+T and CD19+T cells are closely related to severity and prognosis of patients with viral pneumonia complicated with ARDS.

Objective:To develop and validate a risk model of postoperative 3-year all-cause mortality for the elderly patients with hip fracture.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 325 elderly patients with hip fracture who had been treated at The Fourth Medical Center, The General Hospital of PLA from January 2020 to December 2021. There were 90 men and 235 women with an age of (80.9±8.9) years, and 191 intertrochanteric fractures and 134 femoral neck fractures. The patients with hip fractures admitted from January 2020 to June 2021 were assigned to a modeling group (244 cases), and those admitted from July to December 2021 to a validation group (81 cases). Recorded were age, gender, fracture type, pre-injury disease, hematological indicators, time from injury to surgery, previous use of anticoagulant drugs, bone density, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grading, body mass index, and blood transfusion volume in the 2 groups of patients. The data in the modeling group were used to screen the independent risk factors for the postoperative 3-year all-cause mortality in the elderly patients with hip fracture through logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and consequently to construct a prediction model. The data in the validation group were used to analyze the predictive performance of the model through the ROC curve, and the fitting degree of the model was evaluated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test.Results:Respectively, 75 cases in the modeling group and 29 cases in the validation group died 3 years after surgery. There was no statistically significant difference in the baseline data between the 2 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). Logistic univariate analysis showed that gender, age, coronary atherosclerotic heart disease before injury, stroke before injury, pulmonary infection before injury, hemoglobin, albumin, high-density lipoprotein, body mass index, time from injury to surgery and ASA grade were related to the mortality of patients 3 years after surgery ( P<0.05). The ROC curve analysis showed that the variables with predictive ability included age, hemoglobin, albumin, body mass index, and time from injury to surgery. Logistic multivariate analysis showed male, age ≥ 83 years, pre-injury stroke, time from injury to surgery ≥ 4.5 days, ASA grade Ⅲ, and ASA grade Ⅳ were significantly related to the postoperative 3-year all-cause mortality in the elderly patients with hip fracture ( P<0.05). In the prediction model based on the above indicators, the area under the ROC curve was 0.792 (95% CI: 0.730 to 0.855, P<0.001), the cutoff value 0.459, sensitivity 56%, and specificity 90.5%, showing a good fit of the model ( χ2=5.818, P=0.668). Conclusions:Male, age ≥ 83 years, pre-injury stroke, time from injury to surgery ≥ 4.5 days, and ASA grades Ⅲ and Ⅳ are risk factors for postoperative 3-year all-cause mortality in the elderly patients with hip fracture. The risk prediction model based on these indicators demonstrates good predictive efficacy.

Background::Ainuovirine (ANV) is a new generation of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 infection. This study aimed to evaluate the population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) profile and exposure-response relationship of ANV among people living with HIV.Methods::Plasma concentration-time data from phase 1 and phase 3 clinical trials of ANV were pooled for developing the PopPK model. Exposure estimates obtained from the final model were used in exposure-response analysis for virologic responses and safety responses.Results::ANV exhibited a nonlinear pharmacokinetic profile, which was best described by a two-compartment model with first-order elimination. There were no significant covariates correlated to the pharmacokinetic parameters of ANV. The PopPK parameter estimate (relative standard error [%]) for clearance adjusted for bioavailability (CL/F) was 6.46 (15.00) L/h, and the clearance of ANV increased after multiple doses. The exposure-response model revealed no significant correlation between the virologic response (HIV-RNA <50 copies/mL) at 48 weeks and the exposure, but the incidence of adverse events increased with the increasing exposure ( P value of steady-state trough concentration and area under the steady-state curve were 0.0177 and 0.0141, respectively). Conclusions::Our PopPK model supported ANV 150 mg once daily as the recommended dose for people living with HIV, requiring no dose adjustment for the studied factors. Optimization of ANV dose may be warranted in clinical practice due to an increasing trend in adverse reactions with increasing exposure.Trial registration::Chinese Clinical Trial Registry https://www.chictr.org.cn (Nos. ChiCTR1800018022 and ChiCTR1800019041).

177Lu-prostate specific membrane antigen(PSMA)radio-ligand therapy has been approved abroad for advanced prostate cancer and has been in several clinical trials in China.Based on domestic clinical practice and experimental data and referred to international experience and viewpoints,the expert group forms a consensus on the clinical application of 177Lu-PSMA radio-ligand therapy in prostate cancer to guide clinical practice.