ObjectiveTo establish a mouse model of particulate matter 2.5 （PM_2.5）-induced dry eye and investigate whether Chufeng Yisuntang can ameliorate the PM_2.5-induced ocular surface damage by regulating the reactive oxygen species （ROS）/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38 MAPK） signaling pathway. MethodsSixty 8-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were used. Ten were randomly selected as the control group. The remaining 50 mice received topical instillation of 1 drop （0.1 mL） of 5 g·L^-1 PM_2.5 suspension in both eyes， four times daily. Successfully modeled mice were randomized into four groups （n=10）： Model， p38 MAPK inhibitor， Chufeng Yisuntang， and combination （Chufeng Yisuntang at 7.3 g·kg^-1 + p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 at 5 mg·kg^-1）. Chufeng Yisuntang was administered via gavage， and the inhibitor group via intraperitoneal injection. The control and model groups received equal volumes of distilled water by gavage. All treatments lasted for 4 weeks. General conditions were dynamically observed. Tear secretion， tear film break-up time， and corneal fluorescein staining were assessed. After intervention for 4 weeks， hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining was used to examine the histopathological changes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was adopted to measure serum levels of ROS， malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD） 1， and SOD2. Western blot and Real-time PCR were employed to determine the protein and gene levels， respectively， of p38 MAPK， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， and cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-3 （Caspase-3） in the corneal tissue. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group exhibited reduced tear secretion volume and tear film breakup time， along with increased corneal fluorescein staining scores （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Chufeng Yisuntang group， p38 MAPK inhibitor group， and combination group demonstrated increased tear secretion volume and tear film breakup time， along with decreased corneal fluorescein staining scores （P<0.01）. HE staining revealed that compared with the control group， the model group exhibited marked increases in corneal epithelial cell layers and epithelial thickness， along with reduced meibomian gland acini and intensely stained， densely packed nuclei around the acini. Compared with the model group， the Chufeng Yisuntang group， p38 MAPK inhibitor group， and combination group showed intact corneal structure， improved cell morphology， and reduced damage severity. ELISA revealed elevated ROS and MDA levels （P<0.01） and decreased SOD1 and SOD2 levels （P<0.01） in the model group compared with the control group. Compared with the model group， Chufeng Yisuntang， p38 MAPK inhibitor， and the combination lowered ROS and MDA levels （P<0.01）， while raising SOD1 and SOD2 levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Western blot revealed that compared with the control group， the model group exhibited increased protein levels of p38 MAPK， Bax， and Caspase-3 （P<0.01） and reduced protein level of Bcl-2 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， Chufeng Yisuntang， p38 MAPK inhibitor， and the combination down-regulated the protein levels of p38 MAPK， Bax， and Caspase-3 （P<0.01）， while up-regulating the protein level of Bcl-2 （P<0.01）. Compared with the Chufeng Yisuntang group， the combination group exhibited decreased protein levels of p38 MAPK， Bax， and Caspase-3 （P<0.01） and increased protein level of Bcl-2 （P<0.01）. Real-time PCR revealed that compared with the control group， the model group exhibited upregulated mRNA levels of p38 MAPK， Bax， and Caspase-3 （P<0.01）， and downregulated mRNA level of Bcl-2 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， Chufeng Yisuntang， p38 MAPK inhibitor， and the combination down-regulated the mRNA levels of p38 MAPK， Bax， and Caspase-3 （P<0.01）， while up-regulating the mRNA level of Bcl-2 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the Chufeng Yisuntang group， the combination group exhibited decreased mRNA levels of p38 MAPK， Bax， and Caspase-3 expression （P<0.05， P<0.01） and increased mRNA level of Bcl-2 （P<0.01）. ConclusionChufeng Yisuntang may partially protect against PM_2.5-induced corneal injury by inhibiting the ROS/p38 MAPK pathway， enhancing antioxidant defense， and reducing epithelial apoptosis.

Objective:To evaluate and compare the clinical value of unadjusted fracture risk assessment tool(FRAX) and adjusted FRAX in predicting the risk of hip fracture in patients with type 2 diabetes(T2DM).Methods:In this 10-year retrospective cohort study, 1 730 patients with T2DM were collected from August 2009 to July 2013. The 10-year risk of hip fracture was calculated using the China FRAX model. Hip fracture events during the follow-up period were collected through electronic medical records and telephone interviews. The value of FRAX and adjusted FRAX in predicting the risk of hip fracture in T2DM patients was evaluated from two aspects of discrimination and calibration. Cox regression model was used to investigate the relationship between diabetes related factors and hip fracture.Results:A total of 39 participants(2.3%) experienced hip fracture during a median follow-up of 10 years. The area under the curve of unadjusted FRAX was 0.760, but the calibration ability was poor [calibration χ2: 75.78, P<0.001; calibration ratio(observation/prediction): 3.97(95% CI 2.76~5.17)]. There was no significant improvement in calibration ability of adjusted FRAX. After adjustment for unadjusted or adjusted hip fracture probability calculated by FRAX(FRAX-HF), duration, estimated glomerular filtration rate, insulin use, cerebrovascular diseases, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy were significantly associated with an increased risk of hip fracture( P<0.05). Conclusion:The FRAX tool significantly underestimated the risk of hip fracture in T2DM patients, and there was still significantly underestimation after adjustment due to the failure to eliminate the influence of diabetes-related factors such as disease duration and peripheral neuropathy.

Objective:To study the correlation between third lumbar skeletal muscle index(LSMI) and inflammatory factors and other factors in peripheral blood in gastric cancer patients.Methods:From October 2017 to December 2019, patients with gastric cancer admitted to West China Hospital Sichuan University were included. The LSMI of patients was obtained by dividing the area of skeletal muscle at the third lumbar vertebra level by the square of the height based on preoperative abdominal imaging data. The correlation between preoperative LSMI and inflammatory factors and other factors in peripheral blood were analyzed by person correlation analysis.Results:This study included 132 patients with gastric cancer. Among them, 39 were classified as stage Ⅰ, 36 were stage Ⅱ, and 57 were stage Ⅲ, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis suggested that the LSMI of gastric cancer patients was positively correlated with peripheral red blood cell count( P<0.01), hemoglobin( P<0.01), and prealbumin( P<0.01), and negatively correlated with interleukin-6(IL-6, P=0.027) and C-reactive protein(CRP, P= 0.014). Conclusion:Our study suggested that LSMI can be used as a nutritional index in gastric cancer patients and IL-6 and CRP played an important in the occurrence and development of sarcopenia in gastric cancer patients.

Objective To compare the ear baric function between 4000m altitude chamber test with inhaling air and 6900m altitude chamber test with inhaling pure oxygen.Methods Eleven healthy male volunteers attended two tests as two groups by self-comparison. As the air group the volunteers inhaled air at 4000m, while as the pure oxygen group they inhaled pure oxygen at 6900m altitude, and the time interval between the two tests was more than two weeks. During the test, the volunteers breathed air or pure oxygen at random for 1h, and then were exposed at a speed of 20m/s to the target altitude for 5min. Hereafter they were sent back to the ground at the same speed. The changes of subjective symptoms, degree of tympanic congestion, acoustic immitance index and pure-tone auditory threshold were recorded before and after the test. The acoustic impedance index and pure-tone threshold were statistically analyzed.ResultsFour volunteers (4 ears) in air group and 7 volunteers (7 ears) in pure oxygen group reported ear pain in altitude chamber exposures, respectively. The pain-triggering altitude was higher in the pure oxygen group. Immediately after tests, there were 3 (3 ears) and 5 volunteers (5 ears) with Ⅲ degree congestion of the tympanic membrane in the two groups respectively. Four volunteers (6 ears) developed gradually aggravated hemorrhages after altitude exposure. And the tympanic membrane congestion difference between groups was statistically significant at 3 and 24h after tests (P<0.01). The type A tympanogram appeared in 11 (15 ears) and 11 (14 ears) volunteers respectively immediately after tests. The increase of static compliance value was significantly greater in pure oxygen group than in air group immediately after tests (P<0.05), the decrease of middle ear pressure was more significant in pure oxygen group than in air group at 3 and 24h after tests (P<0.05). Both the two altitude exposure tests resulted in eustachian tube dysfunction. At 3 and 24h after the tests, the increase of individual frequency pure-tone threshold was significantly higher in pure oxygen group than in air group (P<0.05).Conclusion Breathing pure oxygen and lifting height could increase the screening degree of ear baric function test in hypobaric chamber, and have greater influence on degree of tympanic congestion, acoustic immittance and pure-tone auditory threshold in 24 hours.

[Summary] Hypercalcemia in pregnancy is a rare condition which brings considerable risks to mother and fetus. The most common cause is primary hyperparathyroidism(PHPT). The untypical symptoms and biochemical tests results add obstacles in the diagnosis of PHPT during pregnancy. The management is difficult, due to restrictions in choices of treatments and lack of clinical guidelines. Severity evaluation which takes consideration of calcium homeostasis during pregnancy is crucial for appropriate management. Parathyroidectomy during the second trimester is recommended for those with high serum calcium levels.

[Summary] A case of primary hyperparathyroidism ( PHPT ) complicated with Graves′disease was reported.The parathyroid lesion( s) could not be identified by repeated MIBI and ultrasonography tests.With the control of hyperthyroidism, medical therapies of hypercalcemia were still not effective, the serum calcium levels continued to be high.Thus, the decision to operate was made.The pathological findings confirmed the diagnosis of parathyroid adenoma.For PHPT patients with clear surgical indications, even though the pre-operative localizing tests are negative, operation is still worth to try.

Objective To investigate the effects of the genetic polymorphisms in osteoporosis-related genes and the gene-gene interaction on bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporotic fractures.Methods Thirty-nine single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites in 23 genes that related to bone mineral density ( BMD ) and osteoporotic fractures were scanned in 683 Shanghai Han postmenopausal women.TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assay or Sequenom Mass ARRAY System were applied for genotyping analysis.The relation of these SNP sites with BMD and osteoporotic fractures were analyzed.Results Altogether,12 SNPs in 9 candidate genes ( rs7524102 and rs6696981 in ZBTB40 gene,rs9479055 in ESR1 gene,rs6993813,rs6469804,and rs11995824 in OPG gene,rs3736228 in LRP5 gene,rs1107748 in SOST gene,rs87938 in CTNNB1 gene,rs1366594 in MEF2C gene,rs7117858 in SOX6 gene,and rs10048146 in FOXL1 gene) were associated with BMD at lumbar spine(L1-L4) or total hip.In addition,rs11898505 in SPTBN1 gene was related to osteoporotic fractures ( OR 0.522,95％ CI 0.326-0.838,P =0.007 ).Gene-gene interaction involving rs1038304 in ESR1 gene,rs1366594 in MEF2C gene,and rs10048146 in FOXL1 gene was associated with osteoporotic fractures ( P =0.010 7 ).Conclusions ( 1 ) SNPs in gene ZBTB40,ESR1,OPG,LRP5,SOST,CTNNB1,MEF2C,SOX6,FOXL1,and SPTBN1 are associated with BMD of lumbar spine or total hip,as well as osteoporotic fractures.(2) Gene-gene interaction involving rs1038304,rs1366594,and rs10048146may contribute to the risk of osteoporotic fractures.

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationships between insulin-like growth factor-Ⅰ (IGF-Ⅰ) and osteoprotegerin (OPG), RANKL, and bone mineral density (BMD) in healthy women. MethodsBMD of lumbar spine and femoral neck were measured in 504 healthy women by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and their serum levels of IGF-Ⅰ, OPG, RANKL were also determined. ResultsAge was negatively correlated with serum level of IGF-Ⅰ in healthy women (r=-0.702, P

Objective To search the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in exons of osteoprotegerin gene, and to analyse the relationship between SNP and bone mineral densities (BMD) in postmenopausal women. Methods Using PCR and direct sequencing to identify SNP and genotypes in 205 postmenopausal women. BMD at lumbar spine (L 2 4 ) and femoral neck (FN) were measured by dual energy X ray absorptiometry. Serum osteocalcin (BGP), osteoprotegerin (OPG), osteoprotegerin ligand (RANKL) and urinary N telopeptides of type Ⅰ collagen (NTx) were also measured. Results One SNP, G1181C, was found in exon 1 of OPG gene. The frequencies of G1181C genotypes in 205 postmenopausal women were 0.566, 0.346, and 0.088 for the genotypes GG, GC and CC respectively. BMD at lumbar spine (L 2 4 ) of CC genotype was significantly higher than GC and GG genotypes (P