AIM: To investigate variation patterns of corneal biomechanical parameters and binocular symmetry among children of different genders aged 8-16 years.METHODS:A retrospective study was conducted, and children who underwent optometric examinations at the ophthalmology department of our hospital were enrolled between January 2022 and December 2024. Measurements included the flat keratometry(K1), steep keratometry(K2), and mean curvature(Km)of the anterior corneal surface, horizontal visible iris diameter(HVID), central corneal thickness(CCT), corneal endothelial cell density(CECD), average cell size(ACS), coefficient of variation(CV), and hexagonality(HEX). Corneal parameters and binocular differences were compared between genders and across age groups.RESULTS:A total of 621 children(1 242 eyes)were enrolled in this study, including 284 males(568 eyes), 337 females(674 eyes), 528 children aged 8-12 years(1 056 eyes), and 93 children aged 13-16 years(186 eyes). In children aged 8-16 years, the K1, K2, Km and CV of both eyes, as well as the interocular CCT differences in boys were significantly lower than those in girls(all P<0.05), while the HVID and HEX of both eyes, as well as the CCT of the left eye in boys were significantly higher than those in girls(all P<0.05). Children aged 8-12 years had significantly higher K1, Km, CECD and HEX in both eyes, and significantly lower ACS in both eyes than those aged 13-16 years(all P<0.05). K1, K2, Km, CECD and HEX in both eyes were negatively correlated with age(P<0.05); ACS in both eyes was positively correlated with age(P<0.001); K1 and Km of the right eye were positively correlated with the CECD of the right eye(P<0.05), and K1 and CCT of the left eye were positively correlated with the CECD of the left eye(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Significant gender differences exist in corneal parameters among children aged 8 to 16 years, while binocular symmetry remained stable.

ObjectiveTo investigate the risk factors for bleeding within 5 days and 2 weeks after endoscopic variceal ligation （EVL） or endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection （ECI） for the treatment of esophagogastric varices in patients with liver cirrhosis， as well as the safety of EVL/ECI in patients with thrombocytopenia. MethodsA total of 489 patients with liver cirrhosis and esophagogastric varices who underwent EVL/ECI in Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital， Guangzhou Medical University， from January 2018 to December 2023 were enrolled as subjects， and according to the presence or absence of bleeding after surgery， they were divided into bleeding group and non-bleeding group. The risk factors for bleeding within 5 days and 2 weeks after surgery were analyzed. The independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups， and the chi-square test or the continuity-corrected chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups； the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was plotted to determine the cut-off value of MELD score； a multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors for postoperative bleeding. ResultsThere were no significant differences in the bleeding rates within 5 days and 2 weeks after EVL/ECI between the 386 patients with a platelet count of ≥50×10⁹/L and the 103 patients with a platelet count of （25 — 49）×10⁹/L （5 days： 1.94% vs 2.85%， P=0.870； 2 weeks： 2.91% vs 4.92%， P=0.544）. The overall bleeding rate was 2.66% （13/489） and 4.50% （22/489）， respectively， within 5 days and 2 weeks after EVL/ECI. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that MELD score was an independent risk factor for bleeding within 5 days （odds ratio ［OR］=3.726， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.214 — 11.429， P=0.021） and 2 weeks （OR=5.760， 95%CI： 1.779 — 18.651， P=0.003） after EVL/ECI， while hemoglobin （Hb） was a protective factor against bleeding within 5 days （OR=0.972， 95%CI： 0.948 — 0.996， P=0.025） and 2 weeks （OR=0.976， 95%CI： 0.957 — 0.995， P=0.016） after surgery； portal vein tumor thrombus （OR=2.667， 95%CI： 1.000 — 7.117， P=0.050） was an independent risk factor for bleeding within 2 weeks after surgery， while platelet count ［（25 — 49）×10⁹/L］ was not a risk factor for postoperative bleeding （P>0.05）. ConclusionBoth EVL and ECI have good safety in patients with liver diseases and grade 3 thrombocytopenia. MELD score is an independent risk factor for bleeding within 5 days and 2 weeks after EVL/ECI， while Hb is a protective factor； portal vein tumor thrombus is an independent risk factor for bleeding within 2 weeks after surgery.

Osteoarthritis (OA), a highly prevalent degenerative joint disease worldwide, is defined by articular cartilage degradation, abnormal bone remodeling, and persistent chronic inflammation. It severely compromises patients’ quality of life, and currently, there is no radical cure. Abnormal mechanical stress is widely regarded as a core driver of OA pathogenesis, and the exploration of mechanical signal perception and transduction mechanisms has become crucial for deciphering OA’s pathophysiological processes. Piezo1, a key mechanosensitive cation channel belonging to the Piezo protein family, has recently gained significant attention due to its pivotal role in mediating cellular responses to mechanical stimuli in joint tissues. This review systematically examines Piezo1’s expression patterns, regulatory mechanisms, and pathological functions in OA, with a particular focus on its dual roles in modulating chondrocyte homeostasis and bone metabolism disorders, while also delving into the underlying molecular signaling pathways and potential therapeutic implications. Piezo1, consisting of approximately 2 500 amino acids and forming a unique trimeric propeller-like structure, is widely expressed in chondrocytes, osteocytes, mesenchymal stem cells, and synovial cells. It exhibits permeability to cations such as Ca²⁺, K⁺, and Na⁺, and directly responds to membrane tension changes induced by mechanical stimuli like fluid shear stress and mechanical overload. In OA patients and animal models, Piezo1 expression is significantly upregulated, especially in cartilage regions subjected to abnormal mechanical stress (e.g., human temporomandibular joint cartilage). This overexpression is closely associated with aggravated cartilage degeneration, increased chondrocyte apoptosis, accelerated cellular senescence, and intensified inflammatory responses. Mechanical overload and pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β) are key inducers of Piezo1 upregulation: IL-1β activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to enhance Piezo1 expression, forming a pathogenic positive feedback loop that inhibits chondrocyte autophagy, promotes apoptosis, and further accelerates joint degeneration. Mechanistically, Piezo1 mediates OA progression through multiple interconnected pathways. When activated by mechanical stress, Piezo1 triggers excessive Ca²⁺ influx, leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and mitochondrial dysfunction, which directly induce chondrocyte apoptosis. This process involves the activation of downstream signaling cascades such as cGAS-STING and YAP-MMP13/ADAMTS5. YAP, a transcriptional regulator, upregulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and aggrecanase (ADAMTS5), thereby accelerating cartilage matrix degradation. Additionally, Piezo1-driven Ca²⁺ overload promotes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulates senescence markers (p16 and p21), accelerating chondrocyte senescence via the p38MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Senescent chondrocytes secrete senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors (e.g., IL-6, IL-1β), further amplifying joint inflammation. In terms of bone metabolism, Piezo1 maintains joint homeostasis by promoting the differentiation of fibrocartilage stem cells into chondrocytes and balancing bone formation and resorption through regulating the FoxC1/YAP axis and RANKL/OPG ratio. Therapeutically, targeting Piezo1 shows promising potential. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that Piezo1 inhibitors (e.g., GsMTx4) can reduce joint damage and alleviate pain in OA mice. Simultaneously, siRNA-mediated co-silencing of Piezo1 and TRPV4 (another mechanosensitive channel) decreases intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration, inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis, and promotes cartilage repair. Conditional knockout of Piezo1 using Gdf5-Cre transgenic mice alleviates cartilage degeneration in post-traumatic OA models by downregulating MMP13 and ADAMTS5 expression. Despite existing challenges, such as off-target effects of inhibitors, inefficient local drug delivery, and interindividual genetic variability, strategies like developing selective Piezo1 antagonists, optimizing targeted nanocarriers, and combining Piezo1-targeted therapy with physical therapy provide viable avenues for clinical translation. The authors propose that Piezo1 serves as a critical therapeutic target for OA, and future research should focus on deciphering its context-dependent regulatory networks, developing tissue-specific intervention strategies, and validating their efficacy and safety in clinical trials to address the unmet medical needs of OA patients.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of bone morphogenetic protein 3 （BMP3） on the expression of inflammatory factors and joint damage in adjuvant arthritis （AA） induced by Freund′s complete adjuvant （FCA） in rats. MethodsThe AIA model was established in SD rats by intradermal injection of FCA into the toes of the left hind limb， and BMP3 overexpressing adenovirus （Ad-BMP3） or control adenovirus （Ad-NC） was injected in situ into the knee joint cavity on day 8 after modeling. Subsequently， HE staining was used to observe the histopathological changes in the synovium， immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of BMP3 in the synovium， and ELISA was used to analyze the expression levels of IL-6， IL-1β and TNF-α in the serum. Primary fibroblast-like synoviocytes （FLS） were isolated from AIA rats， the expression of BMP3 in FLS was knocked down or overexpressed， and Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to detect the expression levels of BMP3 and inflammatory factors in FLS. ResultsHE staining confirmed the successful establishment of the AIA model. Compared with normal rats， AIA rats showed decreased BMP3 expression in synovial tissue. Knockdown of BMP3 promoted the protein expression of inflammatory factors （IL-6， IL-1β， IL-17A， TNF-α） and the mRNA expression of chemokines ［C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 （CCL2）， C-C motif chemokine ligand 3 （CCL3）， Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 （VCAM-1）］ in FLS. In contrast， overexpression of BMP3 suppressed the expression of these inflammatory factors and chemokines. Intra-articular injection of BMP3-overexpressing adenovirus in AIA rats upregulated BMP3 expression in synovial tissue and inhibited synovial inflammation and bone erosion. ConclusionBMP3 suppresses the production of inflammatory factors and chemokines in FLS， thereby alleviating synovial hyperplasia and bone erosion in arthritis.

The left transradial access is less widely used in neurointervention. This article reports a case of an internal carotid dissection aneurysm with a aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) type aortic arch. Preoperative assessment showed that a risk of selective vascular catheterization through the right radial artery approach. After switching to the left transradial access, angiography and subsequent intervention surgery were successfully completed. This has accumulated valuable clinical experience for neurointerventional treatment through the left transradial access.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of potentially inappropriate medication （PIM） among the elderly in nursing homes in Urumqi based on three PIM screening tools， and to compare the applicability of different tools. METHODS A cross-sectional study design was adopted. Elderly individuals from six nursing homes in Urumqi were selected as the research subjects from May 2021 to September 2023. Demographic characteristics， disease burden and medication records of the elderly were collected. PIM screening was performed using the Chinese PIM criteria （2024 edition）， the American Geriatrics Society （AGS） Beers criteria （2023 edition）， and the Screening Tool of Older Person’S Prescriptions（STOPP）/Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment（START） （2023 edition）. Fleiss’s Kappa test was used to assess the consistency among the three screening tools， and multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of PIM. RESULTS The prevalence of PIM screened by the Chinese PIM criteria was 47.4% （323/682）， by the AGS Beers criteria was 43.4% （296/682）， and by the STOPP criteria was 50.9% （347/682）. The consistency among the three screening tools was low （Fleiss’s Kappa＝0.12， P ＜0.001）. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that all three screening tools indicated that polypharmacy， aspirin use and psychotropic drug use were independent risk factors for PIM among elderly in nursing houses （all OR＞1， P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of PIM among the elderly in nursing homes in Urumqi is relatively high. Polypharmacy， aspirin use and psychotropic drug use are common independent risk factors for PIM. There are differences in screening results among the three tools with low consistency. The Chinese PIM criteria can serve as a first-line tool for PIM screening in nursing homes.

Objective: To explore the relationship of non suicidal self injury (NSSI) with anhedonia and dysfunctional attitudes in children and adolescents with depression, in order to provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of NSSI patients. Methods: A total of 157 children and adolescents with depression admitted to Wuhan Psychosomatic Hospital from February 2023 to February 2025 were enrolled and divided into an NSSI group(36 cases) and a non NSSI group (121 cases), according to the diagnostic criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) Chinese version of Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) and the Chinese version of Dysfunctional Attitude Scale-A (DAS-A) were utilized to evaluate the childhood trauma, anhedonia and dysfunctional attitude scores, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between NSSI and DARS, DAS-A scores. Multivariable Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship of NSSI with childhood trauma, DARS and DAS-A scores in children and adolescents with depression. Results: The incidence rate of NSSI of children and adolescents was 22.93%. The proportions of childhood trauma and major depression in NSSI group (58.33% and 61.11%) were higher than those in non NSSI group (35.54% and 41.32%), with statistical differences ( χ 2=5.79, 4.38, both P <0.05). The total score of DAS-A with (188.41±35.27) in NSSI group was higher than in non NSSI group (140.21±30.62), while the scores across DARS dimensions (hobbies, food/drinks, social activities, sensory experiences) and total DARS score (5.37±1.22, 6.96±1.48, 7.13±2.02, 12.06±3.15, 30.19±7.43) were significantly lower than those in the non NSSI group (9.04±2.25, 10.16±2.43, 10.97±2.62, 14.51±4.08, 44.16±12.51),with statistical differences ( t =8.00, -9.37, -7.49, -8.10, -3.32, -6.37, all P <0.01). The NSSI in children and adolescents with depression was positively correlated with childhood trauma, severity of depression and DAS-A total score, and negatively correlated with DARS total score ( r =0.21, 0.63, 0.54, -0.50, all P <0.05). After adjusting for severity of depression, multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that childhood trauma, total scores of DARS and DAS-A were all correlated factors for the occurrence of NSSI in children and adolescents with depression ( OR =1.52, 1.48, 1.96, all P <0.05). Conclusion The risk of NSSI in children and adolescents with depression is relatively high, and NSSI is closely related to anhedonia, dysfunctional attitudes and childhood trauma.

Lacking therapeutic targets highlights the crucial roles of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the clinical management of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). To relieve the side effects of the chemoradiotherapy combination regimen, we design and develop a self-assembled micelle nanosystem consisting of perfluorocarbon chain-modified cisplatin prodrug. By incorporating perfluorodecalin, this nanosystem can effectively carry ozone and promote irradiation-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. By leveraging the perfluorocarbon sidechain, the nanosystem exhibits efficient internalization by TNBC cells and effectively escapes from lysosomal entrapment. Under X-ray irradiation, ozone-generated ROS disrupts the intracellular redox balance, thereby facilitating the release of cisplatin in a reduction-responsive manner mediated by reduced glutathione. Moreover, oxygen derived from ozone decomposition enhances the efficacy of radiotherapy by alleviating tumor hypoxia. Notably, the combination of irradiation with ozone-loaded cisplatin prodrug nano system synergistically prompts antitumor efficacy and reduces cellular/systemic toxicity in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the combo regimen remodels the tumor microenvironment into an immune-favored state by triggering immunogenic cell death and relieving hypoxia, which provides a promising foundation for a combination regimen of immunotherapy. In conclusion, our nanosystem presents a novel strategy for integrating chemotherapy and radiotherapy to optimize the efficacy and safety of TNBC clinical treatment.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the association of the expression of WW domain-containing ubiquitin E3 ligase 1 (WWP1) with immune infiltration in tumor microenvironment (TME) of ovarian cancer. METHODS: Ovarian cancer patient data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were used to analyze the association of WWP1 expression with patient prognosis. TISCH2 was utilized to analyze the changes in immune cell subtypes in TME of metastatic tumor and after chemotherapy. The impact of WWP1 on immune cell infiltration, somatic copy number alterations of WWP1 and evolution of immune cell subtypes was evaluated using TIMER and TIGER pseudo-time analysis. A deep learning model was used to analyze TCGA pathological images to investigate the effect of WWP1 on TME of ovarian cancer. RNA-seq analysis was conducted to identify the differentially expressed genes in WWP1-overexpressing SKOV3 cells and validate immune infiltration. Multicolor immunofluorescence assay was used to analyze the immune markers in SKOV3 and SKOV3/DDP cell xenografts in nude mice. RESULTS: The patients with high WWP1 expression levels had significantly lower overall survival rate (P=0.0012). High WWP1 expression levels and Stage IV disease were both associated with a poor prognosis (P<0.05). In metastatic ovarian cancer or after chemotherapy, the percentages of malignant tumor cells and tumor-associated fibroblasts increased in the TME, accompanied by elevated WWP1 levels. WWP1 expression level was positively correlated with pro-tumorigenic immunosuppressive cells (r=0.1323-0.3955, P<0.05) and negatively with tumor-inhibiting immune cells (r=-0.1949- -0.1333, P<0.05). Specific copy number alterations of WWP1 also influenced CD8⁺ T cell percentage and neutrophil infiltration levels in the TME. RNA-seq analysis of WWP1-overexpressing SKOV3 cells and immunofluorescence assay of the tumor-bearing mice yielded findings consistent with those of bioinformatics analysis. CONCLUSIONS WWP1 may serve as a prognostic biomarker and a potential target for immune regulation in the TME of ovarian cancer.
Female ; Ovarian Neoplasms/genetics* ; Humans ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases/metabolism* ; Tumor Microenvironment/immunology* ; Animals ; Mice ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Mice, Nude ; Prognosis ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic