AIM: To explore the risk factors for visual field defect in patients with normal tension glaucoma.METHODS: The general data of 164 patients(164 eyes)with normal tension glaucoma diagnosed and treated in our hospital from July 2022 to January 2025 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the visual field defect, the patients were divided into visual field defect group(93 eyes)and no visual field defect group(71 eyes). The clinical data of the two groups were compared, and the risk factors of visual field defect in patients with normal intraocular pressure glaucoma were analyzed by Logistic regression.RESULTS: Totally 93 eyes had visual field defect among 164 eyes with normal tension glaucoma, with an incidence rate of 57%. The age, proportion of high myopia, intraocular pressure, intraocular pressure fluctuation and resistance index(RI)in the visual field defect group were higher than those in the non-visual field defect group(all P<0.01), while the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, the optic disc vascular density, peak systolic blood flow velocity(PSV)and end diastolic blood flow velocity(EDV)in the visual field defect group were lower than those in the non-visual field defect group(all P<0.01). Multivariate Logistic regression showed that advanced age(OR=1.171), high myopia(OR=2.316), ocular hypertension(OR=1.662), high intraocular pressure fluctuation(OR=1.770), low retinal nerve fiber layer thickness(OR=0.744), low optic disc vascular density(OR=0.547), low PSV(OR=0.618), low EDV(OR=0.577)and high RI(OR=1.980)were all risk factors for visual field defect in patients with normal tension glaucoma(all P<0.01).CONCLUSION: The age, high myopia, intraocular pressure, intraocular pressure fluctuation, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, optic disc vascular density, PSV, EDV and RI are influence factors for visual field defect in patients with normal tension glaucoma.

Objective:To investigate the epidemiological characteristics, disease spectrum, and laboratory characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus/cytomegalovirus (HIV/CMV) co-infection, to provide references for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted. Clinical information of 544 HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients who underwent CMV-DNA tests in Beijing Ditan Hospital in 2023 was collected. Participants were categorized into CMV-infection group (126 cases) and non-CMV-infection group (418 cases). The prevalence of CMV infection was analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to identify risk factors for CMV/AIDS co-infection. The disease spectrum, laboratory characteristics, serum CMV-DNA load changes, treatment prognosis and outcomes in the CMV-infected group were evaluated. SPSS 27.0 was used for statistical analysis including the χ 2 test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis H test. Results:The CMV infection rate among HIV/AIDS patients was 23.16% (126/544). Multivariate analysis identified low CD4 +T-lymphocyte count [<50 cells/μl; OR=27.962, 95% confidence interval( CI) 11.957-65.389] and high HIV RNA load (>1×10 5 copies/ml; OR=2.057, 95% CI 1.237-3.420) as independent risk factors for CMV co-infection in HIV/AIDS patients. Among the 126 HIV/CMV co-infected patients, CMV viremia was the most common manifestation (38.10%, 48/126), followed by CMV pneumonia (33.33%, 42/126) and CMV retinitis (11.90%, 15/126), which were mainly observed in patients with CD4 +T-lymphocyte counts <50 cells/μl. Of the patients receiving anti-CMV therapy, 80.70% (46/57) exhibited reduced CMV-DNA loads compared with baseline. Totally 29.82% (17/57) of those patients initiating antiretroviral therapy alone achieved CMV-DNA reduction compared with baseline. Overall, 80.16% (101/126) of patients achieved favorable prognosis. Conclusion:CMV co-infection is high in HIV/AIDS patients. Disease spectrum of HIV/CMV co-infection are dominated by CMV viremia and CMV pneumonia. Timely anti-CMV therapy is pivotal for reducing CMV-DNA loads and improving prognosis.

Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a chronic autoimmune disease with a high risk of disability.Macrophages,as important immune cells,participate in the regulation of inflammatory response and bone homeostasis in RA by polarization to different phenotypes.This article reviewed the etiology and pathogenesis of RA in TCM.It was found that imbalance in macrophage polarization is a key factor contributing to inflammation and imbalance in bone homeostasis in RA.During the development of RA,M1 and M2 macrophages have different characteristics of yin and yang attributes and play different roles,which are similar to the connotation of mutual opposition,mutual restriction and mutual transformation of yin and yang theory of TCM.Based on yin-yang theory of TCM,it is proposed to regulate the balance of yin and yang and restore the homeostasis of macrophage to delay the progression of RA,hoping to provide ideas for clinical treatment of RA.

To describe the incidence and mortality of adult head and neck cancer (HNC) in different regions worldwide and their temporal trends.

Objective: To explore the brain-predicted age difference (Brain-PAD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by a machine learning prediction model based on structural magnetic resonance ( sMRI) in the Southwest University Adult Lifespan Dataset (SALD) , and to reveal the relationship between Brain-PAD and dura- tion of T2DM and cognition . Methods: Group comparisons about demographic variables and cognitive function were conducted respectively in local database of 104 T2DM patients and 83 healthy controls (HC) . The prediction model via Gaussian process regression (GPR) was constructed by training sMRI data of 329 healthy volunteers in SALD , then its performance was validated and evaluated . Furthermore , Brain-PAD ( predicted age-chronological age) in the local database was calculated . Group comparisons of Brain-PAD between T2DM patients and HCs were conducted by Mann-Whitney U test. Finally , Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was calculated between Brain-PAD and duration of disease and cognition . Results: Poor performance in auditory verbal learning test (AVLT)-delayed recall , AVLT-recognition , symbol digital modalities test (SDMT) (P < 0. 05) , and increased Brain-PAD were ob- served in T2DM patients , compared with HCs [1 . 619 ( - 4. 001 , 8. 272) years vs - 1 . 289 ( - 4. 128 , 4. 134) years , Z = 2. 056 , P = 0. 034] . Notably , the median of Brain-PAD in T2DM group was positive , indicating that the brain of T2DM patient maybe relatively “older”than his chronological age . Brain-PAD in T2DM group was as- sociated with performance in AVLT-immediate recall ( r = 0. 291 , P = 0. 003) , AVLT-delayed recall ( r = 0. 248 , P = 0. 011) , SDMT( r = 0. 376 , P = 0. 001) and trail making test (TMT)-A ( r = - 0. 206 , P = 0. 036) . However , the relationships between Brain-PAD and duration of T2DM were not explored . Conclusion Decreased cognitive function in patients with T2DM is demonstrated in this study . The machine learning prediction model based on sMRI supports the identification of brain aging objectively in patients with T2DM .

Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a chronic autoimmune disease with a high risk of disability.Macrophages,as important immune cells,participate in the regulation of inflammatory response and bone homeostasis in RA by polarization to different phenotypes.This article reviewed the etiology and pathogenesis of RA in TCM.It was found that imbalance in macrophage polarization is a key factor contributing to inflammation and imbalance in bone homeostasis in RA.During the development of RA,M1 and M2 macrophages have different characteristics of yin and yang attributes and play different roles,which are similar to the connotation of mutual opposition,mutual restriction and mutual transformation of yin and yang theory of TCM.Based on yin-yang theory of TCM,it is proposed to regulate the balance of yin and yang and restore the homeostasis of macrophage to delay the progression of RA,hoping to provide ideas for clinical treatment of RA.

Objective:To investigate the epidemiological characteristics, disease spectrum, and laboratory characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus/cytomegalovirus (HIV/CMV) co-infection, to provide references for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted. Clinical information of 544 HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients who underwent CMV-DNA tests in Beijing Ditan Hospital in 2023 was collected. Participants were categorized into CMV-infection group (126 cases) and non-CMV-infection group (418 cases). The prevalence of CMV infection was analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to identify risk factors for CMV/AIDS co-infection. The disease spectrum, laboratory characteristics, serum CMV-DNA load changes, treatment prognosis and outcomes in the CMV-infected group were evaluated. SPSS 27.0 was used for statistical analysis including the χ 2 test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis H test. Results:The CMV infection rate among HIV/AIDS patients was 23.16% (126/544). Multivariate analysis identified low CD4 +T-lymphocyte count [<50 cells/μl; OR=27.962, 95% confidence interval( CI) 11.957-65.389] and high HIV RNA load (>1×10 5 copies/ml; OR=2.057, 95% CI 1.237-3.420) as independent risk factors for CMV co-infection in HIV/AIDS patients. Among the 126 HIV/CMV co-infected patients, CMV viremia was the most common manifestation (38.10%, 48/126), followed by CMV pneumonia (33.33%, 42/126) and CMV retinitis (11.90%, 15/126), which were mainly observed in patients with CD4 +T-lymphocyte counts <50 cells/μl. Of the patients receiving anti-CMV therapy, 80.70% (46/57) exhibited reduced CMV-DNA loads compared with baseline. Totally 29.82% (17/57) of those patients initiating antiretroviral therapy alone achieved CMV-DNA reduction compared with baseline. Overall, 80.16% (101/126) of patients achieved favorable prognosis. Conclusion:CMV co-infection is high in HIV/AIDS patients. Disease spectrum of HIV/CMV co-infection are dominated by CMV viremia and CMV pneumonia. Timely anti-CMV therapy is pivotal for reducing CMV-DNA loads and improving prognosis.

Objective:To prepare an affinity-based radionuclide therapeutic drug targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), named 177Lu-1, 4, 7, 10-tetraazacyclododecane-1, 4, 7, 10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA)-HER2-BCH, and preliminarily evaluate its biodistribution, therapeutic efficacy, and safety in HER2-positive tumor models, in order to explore its feasibility as a radiopharmaceutical for treatment of HER2-positive tumor. Methods:177Lu labeling was accomplished by using a hydrochloric acid-sodium acetate buffer system. The radiochemical purity and in vitro stability of the labeled products were analyzed by radio high performance liquid chromatography. Biodistribution, 177Lu-DOTA-HER2-BCH radionuclide targeting therapy, and trastuzumab therapy were performed in the HER2-positive NCI-N87 tumor-bearing mice. Repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni method were utilized to analyze data. Results:177Lu-DOTA-HER2-BCH was obtained, with the radiolabeling yield >80%, radiochemical purity >98%, and good in vitro stability. Biodistribution data showed that 177Lu-DOTA-HER2-BCH was well targeted, with high tumor uptake and high retention. The tumor uptake values at 4, 24, 72 and 96 h post-injection were (11.93±0.46), (8.65±0.40), (5.89±0.69) and (3.26±0.36) percentage activity of injection dose per gram of tissue (%ID/g), respectively. In the treatment experiment, 177Lu-DOTA-HER2-BCH significantly inhibited tumor growth. On the 3rd day, the tumor volume of mice treated with 177Lu-DOTA-HER2-BCH was significantly smaller than that of the control group (mean difference 146.97 mm 3;F=4.02, P=0.016 (Bonferroni correction method), and then differences of tumor volume between the 2 groups increased with time. The differences of tumor volume between 177Lu-DOTA-HER2-BCH and trastuzumab treatment groups were not statistically significant throughout the treatment process ( F values: 0.05-61.21, all P>0.017(Bonferroni correction method)). At the end of treatment, no histological abnormality was seen in all organs of the mice. Conclusion:177Lu-DOTA-HER2-BCH radionuclide therapy demonstrates good tumor growth inhibition in HER2-positive tumor-bearing mice, which is expected to be an alternative treatment for HER2-positive tumors.

Objective:To explore the interplay between tumor microenvironment (TME)-associated genes, cuproptosis, and the prognosis of liver cancer through transcriptome sequencing and functional genomics analysis.Methods:Employing a hybrid approach that integrates bioinformatics with fundamental experimental research, we utilized the TCGA database to acquireexpression profiles and clinical-pathological information from 424 liver hepatocellular carcinoma patients. We evaluated ImmuneScore and StromalScore to categorize patients into high and low groups, subsequently identifying differentially expressed genes (DEG) at the intersection of these groups. Core DEG were identified through univariate Cox regression analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. The association between the expression levels of core genes and the survival time of liver cancer patients was analyzed using the R language and Kaplan-Meier analysis, and verified using the Kaplan-Meier Plotter online database. We established a cuproptosis cell model and performed RNA-seq to examine gene expression alterations during copper-induced cell death, followed by in vitro cell experiments for verification.Results:A total of 1 701 and 2 041 DEG were llinked t ImmuneScore and StromalScore, respectively, encompassing 1 134 commonly upregulated genes and 60 commonly downregulated genes. The top 30 core genes from the PPI network's dominant nodes were cross-referenced with univariate Cox regression results, leading to the identification of the pivotal immune gene CCR7. CCR7 mRNA expression levels were higher in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues than in normal tissues ( P<0.05). Patients with high expression of CCR7 in liver cancer had a longer overall survival compared to those with low expression ( P=0.003). Treatment with elesclomol-CuCl2significantly curtailed the survival of hepatocellular carcinoma cel ( P<0.001). RNA-seq data from the cuproptosis model indicated a downregulation of CCR7 expression during the onset of cuproptosis [|log 2(FC)|=2.27, P<0.001], and downregulation of CCR7 expression enhanced the sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells to cuproptosis inducers. Conclusion:The TME-related gene CCR7 is implicated in cuproptosis, and its downregulation might facilitate the process in liver cancer.CCR7 holds potential as a biomarker for liver cancer prognosis.

AIM: To observe the effect ofacacia honey (AH) on serum uric acid level and renal function in potassium oxonate modelrats after drinking AH aqueous solution. METHODS: Sixty male SD rats were selected and randomly divided into control group (CON group), potassium oxonate model group (OA model group), 10% fructose group (10% F group) and different concentration honey groups (25%, 12.5% and 6.25% AH groups). All rats were fed with normal diet.The rats in CON group were subcutaneously injected with 5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na) solution and drunk sterile water every day, while rats in other groups were injected with 100 mg / kg OA solution suspended with 5% CMC-Na subcutaneouslyand drunksterile water orfructose solution or AH solution of different concentrations every day. Before and during the 4-week test, rats were weighed and blood was taken once a week. At the end of test, urine and feces specimens or kidney tissues were collected and blood was taken from the abdominal aorta. The uric acid content in blood, urine, and feces and the levels of serum creatinine (Cre) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) or inflammatory factors in kidney tissues were measured. Renal function and histology were evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with CON group, AH could significantly reduce the body weight of rats (P<0.05), increase the kidney organ coefficient, the levels of serum uric acid, and uric acid in urine or feces, and reduce the level of fecal uric acid (FUA) in rats. AH can down regulate the level of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) (P< 0.05) and up regulate the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and transforming growth factor β - 1 (TGF - β1) in rats kidneys; AH can cause slight to mild dilatation of renal tubules and mild to moderate basophilic lesions of renal rubules in rat kidney in a dose dependent manner. CONCLUSION: In the doses rang of present study, AH can cause hyperuricemia, renal tubular dilatation and basophilic lesions, and lead to renal function damage in rats.