AIM: To investigate the relationship between Apelin and δ-like ligand 4(DLL4)expression levels and clinical stage and efficacy in patients with neovascular glaucoma(NVG).METHODS: A total of 96 NVG patients(96 eyes)who were admitted to our hospital from January 2022 to March 2024(NVG group)and 96 cataract patients(96 eyes)who underwent cataract surgery in our hospital during the same period(control group)were selected. NVG patients were divided into stage Ⅰ group(22 eyes), stage Ⅱ group(47 eyes)and stage Ⅲ group(27 eyes)according to the clinical stage; furthermore, patients were divided into ineffective group(20 eyes)and effective group(76 eyes)according to efficacy. Aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The influencing factors of the efficacy in NVG patients were analyzed by multivariate unconditional Logistic regression analysis, the evaluation efficiency of aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels on the efficacy in NVG patients was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.RESULTS: Compared with the control group, aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels in the NVG group were increased(all P<0.001). Aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels in the stage Ⅰ, stage Ⅱ and stage Ⅲ groups increased in turn(all P<0.001). The effective rate of 96 NVG patients was 79.2%(76/96). Compared with the effective group, aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels in the ineffective group increased(all P<0.001). Clinical stage III, high intraocular pressure, high Apelin and DLL4 were independent risk factors for ineffective treatment in NVG patients(all P<0.05). The area under the curve of the combined evaluation of aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels in evaluating the efficacy of NVG patients was 0.874, which was greater than 0.790 and 0.786 of aqueous Apelin and DLL4 levels alone(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels in NVG patients increase, which relate to the increase of clinical stage and poor efficacy, and the combination of aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels is more effective in evaluating the efficacy of NVG patients.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the levels of C1q/tumor necrosis factor-relat-ed protein 9(CTRP9),Klotho(Klotho)and chitinase 1(CHIT1)in aqueous humor with the disease severity and macular edema(ME)in patients with retinal vein occlusion(RVO).Methods A total of 174 in patients with ME caused by RVO who visited the hospital from January 2022 to June 2024(observation group)and 174 patients with simple RVO(RVO group)were selected.Observation group was divided into mild,moder-ate and severe subgroup according to the disease severity of ME.The levels of CTRP9,Klotho and CHIT1 in aqueous humor between RVO group and observation group were compared.The evaluation value of CTRP9,Klotho and CHIT1 levels in aqueous humor for ME in patients with RVO was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.The influencing factors of ME in patients with RVO were analyzed by univariate and multivariate Logistic regression model.The correlation between the levels of CTRP9,Klotho,CHIT1 in a-queous humor with the disease severity of ME in patients with RVO was analyzed by spearman correlation a-nalysis.Results Compared with RVO group,the levels of CTRP9 and Klotho in aqueous humor of observa-tion group were lower,and the level of CHIT1 was higher(P＜0.05).ROC analysis curve showed that,the area under the curve(AUC)of CTRP9,Klotho and CHIT1 in aqueous humor for evaluating ME in patients with RVOwere 0.757,0.773 and 0.813,respectively.The AUC of combined detection of the three was 0.939,and the efficiency of combined evaluation was higher than that of the single evaluation(Z=7.520,7.513,6.278,all P＜0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression model showed that high level of CHIT1 in aque-ous humor,hypertension and severe retinal vein tortuosity were risk factors for ME in patients with RVO(P＜0.05),and high levels of CTRP9 and Klotho in aqueous humor were protective factors(P＜0.05).Spearman correlation analysis showed that the levels of CTRP9 and Klotho in aqueous humor were negatively correlated with the disease severity of ME in patients with RVO(r=-0.584,-0.401,all P＜0.05),while level of CHIT1 in aqueous humor was positively correlated with the disease severity of ME in patients with RVO(r=0.809,P＜0.05).Conclusion The levels of CTRP9,Klotho and CHIT1 in aqueous humor have high value in the evaluation of ME in patients with RVO,and they are the influencing factors of ME in pa-tients with RVO.The level changes of the three are closely related to the disease severity of ME in patients with RVO.

The quality of Chinese materia medica (CMM) is a challenging and focused topic in the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). A profound comprehension of the morphology, structure, active constituents, and dynamic changes during the whole process of CMM growth is essential, which needs highly precise contemporary techniques for in-depth elucidation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a cutting-edge tool integrating the benefits of both nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and imaging technology. With real-time, non-destructive, and in situ detection capabilities, MRI has been previously used for monitoring internal and external structures of plants alongside compounds during physiological processes in vivo. Here, factors involved in the holistic quality evaluation of CMMs were investigated. Given the applications of MRI in various plants, several representative CMMs were used as examples to demonstrate a methodology of quality visualization by MRI, embodying holistically monitoring the real-time macroscopic morphology, mesoscopic structure, and microscopic metabolites non-destructively in situ. Taken together, the review not only presents a pioneering application mode for utilizing MRI for CMM quality visualization but also holds promise for advancing the quality control and evaluation of CMMs.

Objective:To evaluate the value of blood urea nitrogen (BUN)/creatinine (Cr) ratio for guiding the access route of double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) for small intestinal bleeding.Methods:The clinical information was collected from 105 patients who underwent DBE for suspected small intestinal bleeding at Air Force Medical Center from January 2015 to October 2019. Patients were divided into the elevated BUN/Cr group ( n=52) and the normal BUN/Cr group ( n=53), with a cut-off value of 81. Comparison was made for the detection rate of lesions between the oral route and anal route separately in the two groups using Chi-square test. Results:Among the 105 patients with suspected small intestinal bleeding, definite causes of bleeding were identified in 79 patients by DBE, and the overall lesion detection rate was 75.24% (79/105). In the elevated BUN/Cr group, the overall lesion detection rate was 76.92% (40/52), among which 79.49% (31/39) was through oral and 47.37% (9/19) through anal enteroscopy. In the normal BUN/Cr group, the overall lesion detection rate was 73.58% (39/53), and 63.64% (21/33) was transoral and 51.43% (18/35) transanal. The lesion detection rate of transoral enteroscopy in the elevated group was significantly higher than that in the normal group ( χ2=6.576, P=0.010). There was no significant difference in the lesion detection rate of transanal enteroscopy between the two groups ( χ2=2.230, P=0.135). Conclusion:For patients with active small intestinal bleeding (active bleeding within 48 hours), the BUN/Cr ratio higher than 81 may indicate that DBE should be performed firstly via oral route.

Objective:To study the protective effect and potential mechanism of heme oxygenase (HO-1)/carbon monoxide (CO)-mediated quercetin on alcoholic oxidative damage of primary rat hepatocytes.Methods:Primary rat hepatocytes were isolated and cultured by two-step collagenase technique. Ethanol exposed primary rat hepatocytes were simultaneously added with quercetin (100 μmol/L) and/or hemoglobin (100 μmol/L) or different doses of CO-releasing molecules (CORM-2, 5-50 μmol/L) for their combined action. After polling, LDH, AST activities and MDA and GSH levels were measured in the supernatant of cell culture. The alone or combined effects of quercetin, CORM-2, hemoglobin and zinc protoporphyrin IX exposed to ethanol were detected by the activity of CYP2E1 in liver microsomes. Statistical analysis of data was performed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and intergroup comparison was done by SNK-test.Results:Simultaneous addition of 100 μmol/L quercetin had significantly reduced ethanol-induced AST and LDH release, and GSH consumption and MDA elevation extent. Moreover, quercetin had not only lost the hemoglobin (CO blocker) protective effect but also had further exacerbated ethanol-induced lipid peroxidation. CORM-2 had reduced ethanol-induced AST and LDH release, and GSH consumption and MDA production in liver cells, and thus had dose-dependent protective effect. Ethanol had increased significantly CYP2E1 activity. Quercetin or CORM-2 had inhibited CYP2E1 activity, while hemoglobin or protoporphyrin IX had eliminated quercetin inhibitory effect and had increased the CYP2E1 activity. Quercetin, and CYP2E1 activity was constant as compared to ethanol group when CORM-2, zinc protoporphyrin IX and ethanol were incubated with hepatocytes, but the CYP2E1 activity was significantly decreased ( P < 0.05), and the differences were statistically significant. Conclusion:CO/HO-1 metabolite mediates the protective effect of quercetin on alcoholic oxidative damage of hepatocytes, which may be related to the inhibition of CYP2E1 activity.

Objective To evaluate the clinical outcomes of partial lateral patellar facetectomy ( PLPF ) combined with lateral retinaculum release ( LRR ) for treatment of patellofemoral osteoarthritis ( PFOA ). Methods From June 2017 to March 2018, 30 PFOA patients underwent PLPF combined with LRR at Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. They were 7 men and 23 women with an average age of 56.4 ± 9.7 years. Their patellar position, patellofemoral joint function, overall knee function, and quality of life were assessed by comparing preoperation and last follow-up in patellofemoral congruence angle ( PFCA ) , lateral patellofemoral angle ( LPFA ) , modified Kujala score, The Western Ontario and Mcmaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index ( WOMAC ) , and SF-12 quality of life scale. Results All the patients were followed up for an average of 7.6 ± 3.4 months ( from 4 to 13 months ). The PFCA was improved from preoperative 22.9°± 7.6°to 12.4°± 4.2°at the last follow-up, the LPFA from preoperative 3.2°± 3.7° to 12.9°± 6.0° at the last follow-up, the modified Kujala score from preoperative 17.1 ± 9.8 to 34.3 ± 5.7 at the last follow-up, the WOMAC from preoperative 14.1 ± 5.2 to 5.9 ± 1.7 at the last follow-up, the stiffness index from preoperative 5.5 ± 3.2 to 2.7 ± 1.2 at the last fol-low-up, daily functional index from preoperative 43.9 ± 9.0 to 25.2 ± 5.4 at the last follow-up, and the SF-12 scores from preoperative 31.3 ± 5.2 to 55.7 ± 6.0 at the last follow-up. All the above comparisons showed a significant difference ( P ＜0.05 ) . Conclusion PLPF combined with LRR is a minimally invasive, easy-to-master and effective knee joint preserving procedure for PFOA as it can significantly relieve joint pain and maximally keep patellar functions.

OBJECTIVETo develop a reserved-phase HPLC method for the determination of praeruptorin A, praeruptorin B, qianhucoumarin E in roots of Peucedanum praeruptorum.

METHODAgilent TC-C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) was used at 30 degrees C with the mobile phase of methanol-water (75:25). The flow rate was set at 0.8 mL x min(-1). The detection wavelength was 321 nm.

RESULTThe linear response ranged from 3.20-28.80 microg for +/- praeruptorin A (r = 0.9999, n = 5), 1.60-14.40 g for praeruptorin B (r = 0.9995, n = 5) and 1.64-14.76 g for qianhucoumarin E (r = 0.9994, n = 5), respectively. Recoveries were 98.92% with RSD 1.6% for praeruptorin A, 99.66% with RSD 1.5% for praeruptorin B and 99.72% with RSD 1.4% for qianhucoumarin E.

CONCLUSIONThe method is quick, simple and repeatable for determination of three coumarin constituents in root of P. praeruptorum.

Apiaceae ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Coumarins ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Linear Models ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Reproducibility of Results ; Time Factors