AIM:To evaluate the characteristics of ocular biometric parameters and the distribution of corneal astigmatism(CA)in patients with high myopia before cataract surgery.METHODS:A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted, and 695 cataract patients(695 eyes)with high myopia [defined as an axial length(AL)≥26.00 mm] scheduled to undergo cataract surgery at our hospital from January 2022 to December 2024 were consecutively enrolled, another 695 cataract patients(695 eyes)with normal ALs(22.00 mm ≤AL≤25.00 mm)who underwent cataract surgery at our hospital during the same period were included in the control group. For patients with both eyes eligible, the right eye was used for analysis. Before cataract surgery, IOL Master 700 was used to measure the ocular biometric parameters of both eyes for each patient in the two groups. The medical records and ocular biometric data in the two groups were recorded and collected.RESULTS:There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in genger, age, corneal diameter, and central corneal thickness(all P>0.05). In the high myopia group, the mean AL was 29.20±2.61 mm, and 252 eyes(34.1%)had AL ≥30.00 mm(extremely high myopia). The mean anterior chamber depth(ACD), lens thickness, vitreous chamber depth(VCD), CA, AL/corneal radius of curvature and VCD/AL in the high myopia group were 3.45±0.40, 4.41±0.47, 21.34±2.60 mm, 1.18±0.78 D, 3.79±0.38, and 0.73±0.03, respectively, which were all greater than those in the control group(all P<0.01). In the high myopia group, 350 eyes(50.4%)had CA ≥1.00 D, 192 eyes(27.6%)had CA ≥1.50 D, and 94 eyes(13.5%)had CA ≥2.00 D, which were all higher than those in the control group(32.8%, 15.1%, and 6.6%, respectively; all P<0.001). In the high myopia group, 87 eyes(12.5%)had flat corneas, 424 eyes(61.0%)had moderate CA, and 40 eyes(5.8%)had high CA. These proportions were all higher than those in the control group(6.0%, 46.9%, and 2.9%, respectively; all P<0.001). In the high myopia group, ACD and ACD/AL were negatively correlated with AL(r=-0.162 and -0.661, respectively; all P<0.001), while both ACD and ACD/AL in the control group were positively correlated with AL(r=0.338 and 0.105, respectively; both P<0.01). In the high myopia group, CA increased with age when the patient's age was ≥50 years(r=0.197, P<0.001), which was consistent with the control group.CONCLUSION: The standardized ocular biometric data of cataract patients with high myopia before cataract surgery are helpful for ophthalmologists to accurately calculate the intraocular lens(IOLs)power and select the appropriate IOL type. The majority of high myopia patients need simultaneous correction of CA during cataract surgery.

Genomic imprinting refers to the phenomenon of differential expression of two alleles due to their different parental origins. Genes that produce genomic imprinting are usually called imprinted genes. The genetic effect caused by the presence of imprinted genes is called parent-of-origin effect. Parent-of-origin effect and genomic imprinting play important roles in the pathophysiological mechanism and occurrence and development of cardio-metabolic diseases. In-depth exploration of the law and potential roles of imprinted genes and parent-of-origin effects will help to better understand the mechanism of cardio-metabolic diseases, and also provide important theoretical basis for the precise treatment of diseases related to imprinted genes.

AIM:To observe the effect and mech-anism of cuttlebone extract regulating vascular en-dothelial growth factor(VEGF)/phosphatidylinosi-tol 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)pathway on refractory wounds in rats.METHODS:Cuttle-bone extract(CE)was obtained by water extraction of cuttlebone.Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into negative Control group,Model group,Cuttle-bone extract low-dose(CE(L))group,Cuttlebone extract high-dose(CE(H))group,and cuttlebone ex-tract high-dose+inhibitor(CE(H)+LY294002)group.After the refractory wound model was successfully established,0.02％furacillin solution or cuttlebone extract solution were applied to the wound area of rats in each group,and the treatment was adminis-tered once a day.After 14 days of treatment for re-fractory wounds,the changes in wound healing,angiogenesis,inflammation and expression of relat-ed regulatory proteins were quantitatively ana-lyzed by measuring skin ulcer wound area,patho-logical sections,immunofluorescence staining,Eli-sa,Western blot,RT-qPCR and other methods.RE-SULTS:Compared with Model group,CE(L)and CE(H)groups can increase the number of epithelial cells and collagen,and promote the healing of re-fractory wound in rats.Serum VEGF,skin tissue mi-crovascular density,P-PI3K,P-AKT,VEGF protein ex-pression and mRNA expression levels of PI3K,Akt,VEGF and eNOS were increased(P＜0.05),while se-rum TNF-α and IL-6 levels were decreased(P＜0.05).LY294002 could partially reverse the repair-ing effect of high dose cuttlebone extract on refrac-tory wound(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:Cuttlebone ex-tract can regulate the VEGF/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway,inhibit the inflammatory response of re-fractory wounds in rats,induce angiogenesis and promote wound healing.

Objective:To explore the spousal correlations of total cholesterol(TC),total triglyceride(TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),and to investigate the reasons behind these spousal correlations.Methods:Participants and data were from the baseline survey of family-based cohort studies in Fangshan,Beijing and Tulou,Fujian.The ori-gin of spousal correlations were explored from perspectives of convergence,assortative mating,social ho-mogamy.Pearson's correlation and generalized linear models(GLM)were used to estimate the spousal correlation.Convergence was assessed by Pearson's correlation between the phenotypic differences be-tween couples and the duration of marriage,with GLM used for further validation.Pearson's correlation of genetic risk scores(GRS)and couple-specific Mendelian randomization(MR)were calculated to assess the genetic correlation and possible causal relationships between spouses.Two-independent-sample t-tests were used to compare GRS consistency across subgroups divided by education attainment,couple-specific MR and Q statistics used to test assortative mating in subgroups and intergroup differences.Results:In the study,342 couples(287 couples from Fangshan and 55 couples from Fujian)were included,with the average age of(64.91±8.76)years.Spousal correlations of TC,TG,HDL-C,and LDL-C showed statistically significant associations both before and after adjusting for covariates,with effect sizes of 0.229(95％CI:0.125-0.327),0.257(95％CI:0.155-0.354),0.179(95％CI:0.074-0.280),and 0.181(95％CI:0.076-0.282).For convergence,for each additional year of marriage,ΔTC increased by 0.016 mmol/L(95％CI:0.001-0.033 mmol/L),and ΔLDL-C increased by 0.017 mmol/L(95％CI:0.002-0.031 mmol/L).For assortative mating,GRS correlations and results of couple specific MR didn't show any statistical significance.For social homogamy,no differences in GRS or assortative mating were found between subgroups stratified by education attainment.Conclusion:The blood lipid in participants exhibit spousal phenotypic correlations,however,no effects of convergence,assortative mating or social homogamy were observed.More independent studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to further validate these findings in the future.

Genomic imprinting refers to the phenomenon of differential expression of two alleles due to their different parental origins. Genes that produce genomic imprinting are usually called imprinted genes. The genetic effect caused by the presence of imprinted genes is called parent-of-origin effect. Parent-of-origin effect and genomic imprinting play important roles in the pathophysiological mechanism and occurrence and development of cardio-metabolic diseases. In-depth exploration of the law and potential roles of imprinted genes and parent-of-origin effects will help to better understand the mechanism of cardio-metabolic diseases, and also provide important theoretical basis for the precise treatment of diseases related to imprinted genes.

AIM:To observe the effect and mech-anism of cuttlebone extract regulating vascular en-dothelial growth factor(VEGF)/phosphatidylinosi-tol 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)pathway on refractory wounds in rats.METHODS:Cuttle-bone extract(CE)was obtained by water extraction of cuttlebone.Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into negative Control group,Model group,Cuttle-bone extract low-dose(CE(L))group,Cuttlebone extract high-dose(CE(H))group,and cuttlebone ex-tract high-dose+inhibitor(CE(H)+LY294002)group.After the refractory wound model was successfully established,0.02％furacillin solution or cuttlebone extract solution were applied to the wound area of rats in each group,and the treatment was adminis-tered once a day.After 14 days of treatment for re-fractory wounds,the changes in wound healing,angiogenesis,inflammation and expression of relat-ed regulatory proteins were quantitatively ana-lyzed by measuring skin ulcer wound area,patho-logical sections,immunofluorescence staining,Eli-sa,Western blot,RT-qPCR and other methods.RE-SULTS:Compared with Model group,CE(L)and CE(H)groups can increase the number of epithelial cells and collagen,and promote the healing of re-fractory wound in rats.Serum VEGF,skin tissue mi-crovascular density,P-PI3K,P-AKT,VEGF protein ex-pression and mRNA expression levels of PI3K,Akt,VEGF and eNOS were increased(P＜0.05),while se-rum TNF-α and IL-6 levels were decreased(P＜0.05).LY294002 could partially reverse the repair-ing effect of high dose cuttlebone extract on refrac-tory wound(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:Cuttlebone ex-tract can regulate the VEGF/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway,inhibit the inflammatory response of re-fractory wounds in rats,induce angiogenesis and promote wound healing.

Objective:To explore the spousal correlations of total cholesterol(TC),total triglyceride(TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),and to investigate the reasons behind these spousal correlations.Methods:Participants and data were from the baseline survey of family-based cohort studies in Fangshan,Beijing and Tulou,Fujian.The ori-gin of spousal correlations were explored from perspectives of convergence,assortative mating,social ho-mogamy.Pearson's correlation and generalized linear models(GLM)were used to estimate the spousal correlation.Convergence was assessed by Pearson's correlation between the phenotypic differences be-tween couples and the duration of marriage,with GLM used for further validation.Pearson's correlation of genetic risk scores(GRS)and couple-specific Mendelian randomization(MR)were calculated to assess the genetic correlation and possible causal relationships between spouses.Two-independent-sample t-tests were used to compare GRS consistency across subgroups divided by education attainment,couple-specific MR and Q statistics used to test assortative mating in subgroups and intergroup differences.Results:In the study,342 couples(287 couples from Fangshan and 55 couples from Fujian)were included,with the average age of(64.91±8.76)years.Spousal correlations of TC,TG,HDL-C,and LDL-C showed statistically significant associations both before and after adjusting for covariates,with effect sizes of 0.229(95％CI:0.125-0.327),0.257(95％CI:0.155-0.354),0.179(95％CI:0.074-0.280),and 0.181(95％CI:0.076-0.282).For convergence,for each additional year of marriage,ΔTC increased by 0.016 mmol/L(95％CI:0.001-0.033 mmol/L),and ΔLDL-C increased by 0.017 mmol/L(95％CI:0.002-0.031 mmol/L).For assortative mating,GRS correlations and results of couple specific MR didn't show any statistical significance.For social homogamy,no differences in GRS or assortative mating were found between subgroups stratified by education attainment.Conclusion:The blood lipid in participants exhibit spousal phenotypic correlations,however,no effects of convergence,assortative mating or social homogamy were observed.More independent studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to further validate these findings in the future.

Successful treatment of endodontic and periapical diseases requires the elimination of bacteria and micro-bial biofilms from root canals.Currently,the most preferred irrigation method involves the delivery of sodium hypochlo-rite via the combination of a syringe and ultrasonic activation.Calcium hydroxide is the main choice for intracanal medi-cament between endodontic appointments and treatment.However,conventional chemical disinfection of root canals is controversial due to drug permeability and drug resistance.New small biomolecule formulations with high penetrability and bioremediatory capacity,including antimicrobial peptides such as M33D and LL-37,antisense RNA ASwalR/ASvicR and nanoparticles such as silver nanoparticles,mesoporous calcium-silicate nanoparticles and chitosan nanoparticles,have effective antibacterial and antibiofilm properties for use in root canal systems and dentinal tubules,thereby promot-ing the healing of apical lesions.However,the in vivo drug stability,biosafety,and clinical efficacy of small biomolecule formulations need further investigation.Future research will still focus on the improvement and combination of tradition-al drugs,as new small molecule formulations and ideal disinfectant drugs need to be developed.In the present paper,we reviewed the development of new antibacterial agents and application of small biomolecule formulations for chemical disinfection of infected root canals.

Objective:To assess the association between short-term ambient air pollution exposure and arterial stiffness and whether obesity modifies these associations.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted based on Fangshan family cohort in Beijing. The 24 hours average air pollutant levels on the day cohort participants took baseline survey were calculated as short-term air pollution. A generalized additive model (GAM) with Gaussian links was used to estimate changes in typical carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (BAPWV), pulse pressure (PP) and ankle-branchial index (ABI) after short-term exposure to each air pollution (PM 2.5, PM 10, SO 2, NO 2, CO). The cross-product terms of each air pollution, body mass index (BMI), and waist-to-hip ratio were included in the GAM model to test the interaction. Further, they conducted a stratified analysis to test their effects on the relationship between short-term exposure to each air pollution and the arterial stiffness indicators. Results:A total of 4 211 individuals were included in the analysis. Individuals' age was (58.9±8.7) years, of which 2 268 (53.9%) were female. Several covariates, including sociodemographic factors, lifestyle behaviors, and history of drugs, were included in the analysis. The results of the GAM analysis showed that an increase in PM 2.5 ( β=2.912×10 -4, 95% CI: 1.424×10 -4-4.400×10 -4, P<0.001), CO ( β=0.027, 95% CI: 0.011-0.043, P<0.001), SO 2 ( β=2.070×10 -3, 95% CI: 7.060×10 -4-3.430×10 -3, P=0.003), and NO 2 ( β=3.650×10 -4, 95% CI: 2.340×10 -5-7.060×10 -4, P=0.036) were associated with an increase in CIMT, while an increase in PM 10 ( β=0.018, 95% CI: 0.002-0.033, P=0.028) was associated with an increase in PP in the study population. Besides, the waist-to-hip ratio had an effect-modification on the correlation of short-term exposure of PM 2.5 (interaction P=0.015), NO 2 (interaction P=0.008), and CO (interaction P=0.044) with CIMT, and the correlation between short-term exposure of PM 2.5 (interaction P=0.002), NO 2 (interaction P=0.010), CO (interaction P=0.029), PM 10 (interaction P<0.001) with PP. The significant association between CIMT, PP, and air pollution concentrations was more visible in people with lower waist-to-hip ratios. Conclusions:Short-term ambient air pollution exposure was associated with arterial stiffness indicators, and there was an effect modification of waist-to-hip ratio on these associations, and lower waist-to-hip ratios may enhance the association between air pollution exposure and indicators.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of bilateral V-Y advancement island flaps on buttocks in repairing postoperative defects in patients with perianal Paget′s disease.Methods:From January 2009 to January 2021, a retrospective analysis was performed on clinical data collected from 13 patients with perianal Paget′s disease, whose perianal defects resulting from the tumor resection were reconstructed with bilateral V-Y advancement island flaps on the buttocks in the Department of Dermatology, Hangzhou Third People′s Hospital. The postoperative recovery of the buttocks and the effects on the defecation function were evaluated.Results:The areas of perianal defects in 13 cases ranged from 4.8 cm × 5.6 cm to 12.2 cm × 6.4 cm. All defects were successfully repaired by using the bilateral V-Y advancement island flaps, and all surgical wounds healed primarily. One case first received temporary ileostomy, and then received ileostomy closure 3 months later, resulting in the recovery of defecation function; in another 1 case of perianal Paget′s disease comorbid with rectal cancer, the permanent sigmoid colostomy was performed to divert feces, and the defecation function was lost. After the follow-up for 1 - 6 years, the buttocks were symmetrical in shape in all the 13 patients, and 12 with preserved anus had normal defecation function. No tumor recurrence was observed in 12 patients without other malignant tumors after the operation, while 3 patients experienced mild anal stenosis without anal mucosa eversion or wound dehiscence; 1 patient with perianal Paget′s disease complicated by anal canal adenocarcinoma developed bilateral inguinal lymph node and internal iliac lymph node metastasis 1 year after the operation, and died 6 months later.Conclusion:The bilateral V-Y advancement island flaps on the buttocks have the advantages of reliable blood supply and sufficient advancement mobility, and can be used to repair large skin defects around the anus.