Objective:To observe and analyze the correlation between the changes of macular microvascular structure and the level of intracocular fluid cytokines in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME).Methods:A prospective clinical study. From December 2022 to June 2024, 20 patients with 25 eyes of DME diagnosed by Department of Ophthalmology of Linyi People's Hospital were included in the study. Among them, 14 males had 17 eyes and 6 females had 8 eyes. Age was (55.08±10.34) years. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) were used to scan the macular region at a range of 6 mm×6 mm. Central retinal thickness (CRT), blood flow density of superficial retinal capillary plexus (SCP) and area of fovea avascular zone (FAZ) were measured. The anterior aqueous humor was extracted before the first intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the concentrations of interleukin (IL-6), IL-8, VEGF, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM), placental growth factor (PLGF) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) were detected. The correlation between macular microvascular structure and aqueous humor cytokines was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis.Results:The CRT of the affected eyes was (617.40±167.64) μm, the SCP flow density was (39.56±1.55)%, and the FAZ area was (0.46±0.13) mm 2. The concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, VCAM, PLGF and MCP-1 in aqueous humor were (301.36±690.52), (29.15±20.56), (71.37±29.32) and (5 621.22±7 241.06), (72.40±13.43), (464.07±163.26) pg/ml, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between CRT and the concentrations of aqueous cytokines VEGF and PLGF ( r=0.460, 0.462, P<0.05). FAZ area was positively correlated with VEGF and MCP-1 concentrations ( r=0.414, 0.465; P<0.05). There was a significant negative correlation between SCP blood flow density and IL-6 ( r=0.401, P<0.05). Conclusion:There was a significant correlation between the morphological structure of macular area and the damage degree of microvessels around macular area in DME patients and the concentration of aqueous cytokines.

Objective:To observe and analyze the correlation between the changes of macular microvascular structure and the level of intracocular fluid cytokines in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME).Methods:A prospective clinical study. From December 2022 to June 2024, 20 patients with 25 eyes of DME diagnosed by Department of Ophthalmology of Linyi People's Hospital were included in the study. Among them, 14 males had 17 eyes and 6 females had 8 eyes. Age was (55.08±10.34) years. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) were used to scan the macular region at a range of 6 mm×6 mm. Central retinal thickness (CRT), blood flow density of superficial retinal capillary plexus (SCP) and area of fovea avascular zone (FAZ) were measured. The anterior aqueous humor was extracted before the first intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the concentrations of interleukin (IL-6), IL-8, VEGF, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM), placental growth factor (PLGF) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) were detected. The correlation between macular microvascular structure and aqueous humor cytokines was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis.Results:The CRT of the affected eyes was (617.40±167.64) μm, the SCP flow density was (39.56±1.55)%, and the FAZ area was (0.46±0.13) mm 2. The concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, VCAM, PLGF and MCP-1 in aqueous humor were (301.36±690.52), (29.15±20.56), (71.37±29.32) and (5 621.22±7 241.06), (72.40±13.43), (464.07±163.26) pg/ml, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between CRT and the concentrations of aqueous cytokines VEGF and PLGF ( r=0.460, 0.462, P<0.05). FAZ area was positively correlated with VEGF and MCP-1 concentrations ( r=0.414, 0.465; P<0.05). There was a significant negative correlation between SCP blood flow density and IL-6 ( r=0.401, P<0.05). Conclusion:There was a significant correlation between the morphological structure of macular area and the damage degree of microvessels around macular area in DME patients and the concentration of aqueous cytokines.

Objective To evaluate the role of Na+-K+-2Cl-cotransporter isoform 1 (NKCC1) in neurons in sevoflurane-induced epileptiform electroencephalogram (EEG) activity in the cortex of neonatal rats.Methods Twenty-four neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 4-6 days,weighing 8-15 g,were randomly divided into 3 groups (n =8 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),sevoflurane group (group S),and NKCC1 inhibitor bumetanide + sevoflurane group (group B).After electrodes were placed correctly,EEG was monitored continuously.At 30 min of monitoring,normal saline 3 μl/g was injected intraperitoneally in D and S groups,and bumetanide 10 μg/g was injected intraperitoneally in group B.At 60 min after the end of intraperitoneal administration,anesthesia was induced with inhalation of 6％ sevoflurane for 3 min and maintained with inhalation of 2.1％ sevoflurane for 1 h in group S and group B.The total duration of seizures,the duration of a single episode,the number of episodes of electroencephalographic seizures,and the amplitude and frequency of spike-and-wave were recorded.Results Seizures were not detected in group C,and no spike-and-wave was found in group B.Compared with group C,the incidence of seizures in S and B groups (75％ and 25％,respectively) and incidence of spike-and-wave in group S (100％) were significantly increased (P＜0.05).Compared with group S,the incidence of seizures and spike-and-wave was significantly decreased,the total duration of seizures,and duration of a single episode were significantly shortened,and the number of episodes of electroencephalographic seizures was significantly decreased in group B (P＜0.05).Conclusion NKCC1 in neurons may be involved in the formation of sevoflurane-induced epileptiform EEG activity in the cortex of neonatal rats.

Objective To study the methylation status of the promoter region of several tumor suppressor genes in p53-Bax mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and its role in cholangiocarcinoma. Methods The hypermethylation of the promoter region of tumor suppressors death-associated protein kinase (DAPK), p14, and target of methylation-associoted silencing-1 (TMS1/ASC) were detected by methylation-specific PCR. P53 gene status (exon 5-8 ) were examined by automated sequencing. The relationship between gene mutations and the biological behaviors of cholangiocarcinoma was analyzed. Results Methylation existed in at least one promoter region of tumor suppressor gene in the tumor tissues of 24 patients (66. 7% ). The frequencies of tumor suppressor gene methylation in cholangiocarcinoma were: p14 24%, DAPK 30. 6%, and TMS1/ASC 36. 1%. The frequencies of tumor suppressor gene methylation in the adjacent tissues were: TMS1/ASC 8.3% and DAPK 5.6%. DNA sequencing showed p53 gene mutation was found in 22 of 36 patients (61.1% ), and p53 gene mutation combined with the methylation of tumor suppressor was found in 14 (38.9%) patients, which was significantly correlated with pathologic biology, invasion, and differentiation ( P ＜ 0.05 ). The 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates were significantly higher in tumor-suppressing genes methylation group ( n = 4) (70%, 43 %, and 28%, respectively)than those in p53 gene mutation group (n = 14) (28%, 5%, and 0%, respectively) (χ2 =9. 060, P =0.03).Conclusions Promoter hypermethylation of p53-Bax mitochondrial apoptosis pathway is a common epigenetic event in cholangiocarcinoma. Although the methylations of TMS1/ASC and DAPK genes in the adjacent tissues are relatively low, they may be informative for the early detection of cholangiocarcinoma. P53 gene mutation combined with the methylation of tumor suppressor may be related with the pathologic biology of cholangiocarcinoma, making the latter trend to be with high malignancy and poor prognosis.