AIM: To evaluate the application value of artificial intelligence-assisted systems in diagnosing diabetic retinopathy(DR)by Meta-analysis.METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, WanFang Data and VIP database were searched to collect relevant literature on the diagnostic value of artificial intelligence-assisted systems for DR from January 2019 to September 2024. The QUADAS-2 tool was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies, and Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 17.0 and Meta Disc 1.4 software.RESULTS: A total of 23 studies were included. The results of Meta-analysis showed that the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio were 0.92(95% CI: 0.89-0.94), 0.94(95% CI: 0.91-0.96), 15.6(95% CI: 10.6-22.9), 0.09(95% CI: 0.07, 0.12), 174(95% CI: 112-271), respectively, and the area under the ROC curve(AUC)was 0.97(95% CI: 0.96-0.98). Meta-regression and subgroup analyses indicated that the heterogeneity of the studies originated from study type, patient type, patient source, and AI algorithm type. Deeks' funnel plot test suggested no significant publication bias(P=0.15), indicating that the results were robust.CONCLUSION: The artificial intelligence-assisted system demonstrates high diagnostic value for DR, and can be widely implemented in the early screening and diagnosis of DR.

Objective:To study the relationship between serum adiponectin level and early vascular aging (EVA).Methods:The cross-sectional study method was used. Six hundred and seventy-two subjects who completed health checkup from June to December 2023 in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University were selected. The subjects were divided into the EVA group (237 cases) and the control group (435 cases) based on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). According to the adiponectin tertiles method, the subjects were divided into low adiponectin subgroup (2.4 to 6.6 mg/L, 225 cases), medium adiponectin subgroup (6.7 to 9.1 mg/L, 227 cases) and high adiponectin subgroup (9.2 to 19.8 mg/L, 220 cases). The basic demographic information, past history and serological indexes were recorded. Univariate and multivariate binary Logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the risk factors for EVA, and multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the effect of adiponectin on EVA.Results:The male proportion, age, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides (TG), fasting blood glucose (FBG), uric acid, glycated hemoglobin (HbA 1c), homocysteine, baPWV and alcohol history proportion in EVA group were significantly higher than those in control group: 64.98% (154/237) vs. 53.33% (232/435), 53 (47, 57) years old vs. 46 (39, 52) years old, (26.34 ± 3.37) kg/m 2 vs. (25.16 ± 3.91) kg/m 2, (132.27 ± 15.48) mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) vs. (117.30 ± 13.04) mmHg, (81.79 ± 11.04) mmHg vs. (71.93 ± 10.10) mmHg, 1.45 (1.03, 2.03) mmol/L vs. 1.08 (0.76, 1.65) mmol/L, 5.52 (5.03, 6.21) mmol/L vs. 5.14 (4.77, 5.56) mmol/L, (380.04 ± 96.43) μmol/L vs. (362.18 ± 94.94) μmol/L, 5.80 (5.50, 5.90)% vs. 5.70 (5.40, 5.82)%, 10.70 (9.01, 12.90) μmol/L vs. 9.96 (8.30, 12.20) μmol/L, 1 586 (1 511, 1 719) cm/s vs. 1 299 (1 215, 1 367) cm/s and 19.41% (46/237) vs. 13.56% (59/435), the adiponectin was significantly lower than that in control group: 7.00 (5.70, 8.75) mg/L vs. 8.40 (6.40, 10.60) mg/L, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.01 or <0.05). There were no statistical differences in total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), creatinine and smoking history proportion between two groups ( P>0.05). The male proportion, BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, TG, FBG, uric acid, creatinine, HbA 1c, homocysteine, EVA incidence, baPWV, smoking history proportion and alcohol history proportion in low adiponectin subgroup and medium adiponectin subgroup were significantly higher than those in high adiponectin subgroup, furthermore, the indexes except HbA 1c in low adiponectin subgroup were significantly higher than those in medium adiponectin subgroup, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05); the HDL-C in low adiponectin subgroup and medium adiponectin subgroup was significantly lower than that in high adiponectin subgroup, furthermore, that in low adiponectin subgroup was significantly lower than that in medium adiponectin subgroup, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05); there were no statistical differences in age, TC and LDL-C among the three subgroups ( P>0.05). Univariate binary Logistic regression analysis result showed that age, male, BMI, alcohol history, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, TG, FBG, uric acid and HbA 1c were the risk factors for EVA ( P<0.01 or <0.05), while the adiponectin was a protective factor for EVA ( P<0.01). Multivariate binary Logistic regression analysis result showed that age, systolic blood pressure, TG and FBG were risk factors for EVA ( OR = 1.098, 1.066, 1.209 and 1.268; 95% CI 1.069 to 1.127, 1.050 to 1.082, 1.007 to 1.451 and 1.069 to 1.502; P<0.01 or <0.05), while adiponectin was a protective factor ( OR = 0.892, 95% CI 0.828 to 0.962, P<0.01). Multivariable Logistic regression analysis result showed that adiponectin consistently remained a protective factor for EVA across unadjusted, preliminary adjusted and fully adjusted covariate models ( OR = 0.553, 0.580 and 0.576; 95% CI 0.451 to 0.678, 0.440 to 0.764 and 0.435 to 0.763; P<0.01). Conclusions:The serum APN level is negatively correlated with the risk of EVA, which may be an independent protective factor for the EVA.

Objective:To study the relationship between serum adiponectin level and early vascular aging (EVA).Methods:The cross-sectional study method was used. Six hundred and seventy-two subjects who completed health checkup from June to December 2023 in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University were selected. The subjects were divided into the EVA group (237 cases) and the control group (435 cases) based on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). According to the adiponectin tertiles method, the subjects were divided into low adiponectin subgroup (2.4 to 6.6 mg/L, 225 cases), medium adiponectin subgroup (6.7 to 9.1 mg/L, 227 cases) and high adiponectin subgroup (9.2 to 19.8 mg/L, 220 cases). The basic demographic information, past history and serological indexes were recorded. Univariate and multivariate binary Logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the risk factors for EVA, and multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the effect of adiponectin on EVA.Results:The male proportion, age, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides (TG), fasting blood glucose (FBG), uric acid, glycated hemoglobin (HbA 1c), homocysteine, baPWV and alcohol history proportion in EVA group were significantly higher than those in control group: 64.98% (154/237) vs. 53.33% (232/435), 53 (47, 57) years old vs. 46 (39, 52) years old, (26.34 ± 3.37) kg/m 2 vs. (25.16 ± 3.91) kg/m 2, (132.27 ± 15.48) mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) vs. (117.30 ± 13.04) mmHg, (81.79 ± 11.04) mmHg vs. (71.93 ± 10.10) mmHg, 1.45 (1.03, 2.03) mmol/L vs. 1.08 (0.76, 1.65) mmol/L, 5.52 (5.03, 6.21) mmol/L vs. 5.14 (4.77, 5.56) mmol/L, (380.04 ± 96.43) μmol/L vs. (362.18 ± 94.94) μmol/L, 5.80 (5.50, 5.90)% vs. 5.70 (5.40, 5.82)%, 10.70 (9.01, 12.90) μmol/L vs. 9.96 (8.30, 12.20) μmol/L, 1 586 (1 511, 1 719) cm/s vs. 1 299 (1 215, 1 367) cm/s and 19.41% (46/237) vs. 13.56% (59/435), the adiponectin was significantly lower than that in control group: 7.00 (5.70, 8.75) mg/L vs. 8.40 (6.40, 10.60) mg/L, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.01 or <0.05). There were no statistical differences in total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), creatinine and smoking history proportion between two groups ( P>0.05). The male proportion, BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, TG, FBG, uric acid, creatinine, HbA 1c, homocysteine, EVA incidence, baPWV, smoking history proportion and alcohol history proportion in low adiponectin subgroup and medium adiponectin subgroup were significantly higher than those in high adiponectin subgroup, furthermore, the indexes except HbA 1c in low adiponectin subgroup were significantly higher than those in medium adiponectin subgroup, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05); the HDL-C in low adiponectin subgroup and medium adiponectin subgroup was significantly lower than that in high adiponectin subgroup, furthermore, that in low adiponectin subgroup was significantly lower than that in medium adiponectin subgroup, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05); there were no statistical differences in age, TC and LDL-C among the three subgroups ( P>0.05). Univariate binary Logistic regression analysis result showed that age, male, BMI, alcohol history, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, TG, FBG, uric acid and HbA 1c were the risk factors for EVA ( P<0.01 or <0.05), while the adiponectin was a protective factor for EVA ( P<0.01). Multivariate binary Logistic regression analysis result showed that age, systolic blood pressure, TG and FBG were risk factors for EVA ( OR = 1.098, 1.066, 1.209 and 1.268; 95% CI 1.069 to 1.127, 1.050 to 1.082, 1.007 to 1.451 and 1.069 to 1.502; P<0.01 or <0.05), while adiponectin was a protective factor ( OR = 0.892, 95% CI 0.828 to 0.962, P<0.01). Multivariable Logistic regression analysis result showed that adiponectin consistently remained a protective factor for EVA across unadjusted, preliminary adjusted and fully adjusted covariate models ( OR = 0.553, 0.580 and 0.576; 95% CI 0.451 to 0.678, 0.440 to 0.764 and 0.435 to 0.763; P<0.01). Conclusions:The serum APN level is negatively correlated with the risk of EVA, which may be an independent protective factor for the EVA.

Objective To explore the correlation between the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase -9 (MMP-9), Toll-likeReceptor 4 ( TLR4) and lung revascularization in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease .Methods Lung tissues frompatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (COPD group,n =25) and those without COPD (non-COPD group,n =25) were obtained from surgically resected specimens .The ratio of the area of the wall to that of the pulmonary arterioles (WA %) andthe ratio of the thickness of the wall to the external diameter of the pulmonary arterioles (WT %) were analyzed by computer-based imageanalysis system.Immunohistochemical technique was applied to investigate the expressions of TLR 4, proliferative cell nuclear antigen(PCNA) and MMP-9 in vascular smooth muscle cells.Results ⑴ The inflammatory infiltration degree, WA %, and WT %were significantly higher than that of non -COPD group ( P <0.01), respectively.⑵Compared with non-COPD group, the expressionsof PCNA, TLR4, and MMP-9 in vascular smooth muscle cells were increased significantly ( P <0.01).⑶The expressions of TLR4,MMP-9 had a positive correlation with WA%, WT%, degree of inflammatory infiltration, and the expression of PCNA ( r =0.67,0.74,0.47,0.44;0.59,0.71,0.61,0.33, P <0.01), up-regulated expression of TLR4 was closely related with the expression of MMP-9 ( r =0.55, P <0.01).Conclusions The pulmonary arterioles of COPD patients showed marked inflammatory and arteriolemuscularization, the TLR4 might aggravate inflammation,induced upregulation of MMP-9 expression, played an important role in the pulmonary vascular remodeling process.

Objective To explore the role and correlation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on pulmonary vascular remodeling of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Methods Ninety male patients who underwent surgery for squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled as our subjects.All patients were divided into COPD group and uon-COPD group based on lung function,and 45 cases in each group.Peripheral lung tissues without tumor infiltrated after lobectomy were taken to assess the degree of arterial inflammation,percentage of wall thickness to vessel diamater (WT％) and percentage of wall area to total vascular area(WA％) were measured through Hematoxylin-Eosin(HE) staining under light microscope.The expression of PPARγand TLR4 were determined by immunohistochemistry.Results The distribution of WA％ and WT％ in COPD group were (43.98 ±6.43)％ and (27.37 ±3.34)％,higher than that of non-COPD group ((26.09 ± 2.82) ％,t =-13.949,P =0.000 ; (15.57 ± 1.75) ％,t =-7.140,P =0.000).The expression of PPAR-γand TLR4 in COPD group were (10.74 ± 8.81) ％,(3 1.41 ± 14.67) ％ respectively,and (28.22 ± 15.08)％,(4.67 ± 4.47)％ in non-COPD group.The differences were statistic significantly(t =5.483,P =0.000; t =-9.555,P =0.000).And there was negative correlation between the expression of PPARγand TLR4 (r =-0.404,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion The pulmonary vascular of COPD patients showed the obviously inflammatory cell infiltration,fibrosis and proliferation,and PPAR-γ and TLR4 participate in the regulation of pulmonary vascular remodeling.