AIM: To investigate the effect of unilateral endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy on binocular surface indexes.METHODS: Totally 45 cases with monocular primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction(PANDO)who successfully underwent endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy between 1 December 2022 and 31 July 2023 were enrolled in the study. Ocular surface indexes, including the non-invasive tear break-up time(NIBUT), Sjögren's International Collaborative Clinical Alliance ocular staining score(SICCA OSS), Korb score of lid wiper and Schirmer test scores, were collected preoperatively and at 0.5, 1 and 3 mo post-operatively. Subsequently, various indexes were compared at each time point between the operated and healthy eyes pre- and post-operatively.RESULTS: There was no significant differences between operated and healthy eyes in NIBUT, SICCA OSS, Korb scores and Schirmer test(all P>0.05). Furthermore, the Korb scores of operated eye at 0.5, 1 and 3 mo post-operatively were significantly lower than the preoperative value(P=0.034, 0.044, 0.027). Moreover, the Schirmer test score of the operated eye at 1 mo post-operatively was significantly lower than the preoperative value(P=0.0461).CONCLUSION:After a successful endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy, tear drainage is restored, however, ocular surface damage worsens. These changes typically peak at 1 mo post-operatively before gradually improving.

Objective To explore the determination method of copper content in Chinese medicinal materials and to provide a scientific basis for the quality control of Chinese medicinal materials.Methods A method for rapid determination of copper content in different varieties of Chinese medicinal materials by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry was established.Results The content of copper in the linear range of 6-40 μg·g-1 showed good linearity with the response strength,which met the quantitative analysis requirements.Conclusion This method has the advantages of being simple,fast,and highly sensitive,and it can be used for rapid quality control of copper content in Chinese medicinal materials.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mechanism of Chinese medicine Jiangzhuo mixture regulating glucose and lipid metabolism in obese rats. METHODS: Thirty healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model control group, and Jiangzhuo mixture treatment group, with 10 rats in each group. The rats in the normal control group were fed with normal diet, the obesity model was induced by feeding high-fat diet in the model control group and the Jiangzhuo mixture treatment group, the rats in the treatment group were given with Jiangzhuo mixture 50 g/kg by gavage. After 8 weeks of intervention, the blood glucose (GLU), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were measured in the three groups. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR were used to detect the expression levels of PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16) and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in white and brown adipose tissues of the rats in each group; Western blotting was used to detect the expression of PRDM16 in the white and brown adipose tissue of rats, and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and inhibitor of NF-κB alpha (IκBα) in the white adipose tissue; immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of UCP1 protein in white and brown adipose tissues. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the white fat weight (P<0.01), white fat coefficient (P<0.05) and Lee's coefficient (P<0.01) were significantly increased in the model control group; the contents of GLU, TC, TG and LDL-C were all increased, and the content of TG was significantly increased (P<0.05) in the model control group. The mRNA and protein expression levels of PRDM16 and UCP1 in white fat and brown fat were significantly decreased (P<0.05) in the model control group. Compared with the model control group, the white fat weight and white fat coefficient and Lee's coefficient were significantly reduced in the Jiangzhuo mixture treatment group (all P<0.01), the levels of GLU, TC, TG, and LDL-C in the the treatment group were all reduced, and the content of TG was reduced more obviously (P<0.01); expression levels of PRDM16 and UCP1 mRNA and protein were increased in brown and white adipose tissue. Compared with the normal control group, the expression levels of TLR4, phospho-IκBα and NF-κB-p65 proteins in white adipose tissue of the model control group were significantly increased (all P<0.01), while the expression levels of these proteins in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the model control group (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Jiangzhuo mixture can alleviate high-fat diet-induced increase in body fat, abnormal expression of biochemical indexes and promote the expression of key proteins including UCP1 and PRDM16 in white and brown adipose tissues by regulating TLR4/IκBα/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Rats ; Male ; Animals ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Glucose ; Lipid Metabolism ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; Cholesterol, LDL/metabolism* ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha/metabolism* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Signal Transduction ; Triglycerides ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Obesity ; RNA, Messenger

Mononuclear macrophages are versatile cells that can have different responses to various microenvironmental signals. Under different stimuli of circumstances, macrophages can be fully polarized into classically activated macrophages (M1) and alternatively activated macrophages (M2), which are the extremes of a continuum of functional states. Nuclear factor-κB, cyclooxygenase 2, anoxia status, proto-oncogene MYC, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, Notch signaling pathway and cytokines are all closely involved in the transition of tumor-associated macrophages from M1 to M2 phenotype. Macrophages that infiltrate tumor tissues are driven by tumor-derived cytokines to acquire a polarized M2 phenotype. These functionally polarized cells play a key role in the subversion of adaptive immunity and in inflammatory circuits that promote tumor development and progression. Exosomes derived from tumors have the characteristics of tumor cells and could participate in multiple processes of tumorigenesis and development. This review focused on exosomes derived from various cancer cells and discussed the role of the payloads of tumor-derived exosomes in modulating macrophage polarization in the tumor immune microenvironment and the intracellular signal mechanisms involved.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the expected population impact of benefit and risk of aspirin treatment strategies for the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases recommended by different guidelines in the Chinese Electronic Health Records Research in Yinzhou (CHERRY) study. METHODS: A decision-analytic Markov model was used to simulate and compare different strategies of aspirin treatment, including: Strategy ①: Aspirin treatment for Chinese adults aged 40-69 years with a high 10-year cardiovascular risk, recommended by the 2020 Chinese Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases; Strategy ②: Aspirin treatment for Chinese adults aged 40-59 years with a high 10-year cardiovascular risk, recommended by the 2022 United States Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement on Aspirin Use to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease; Strategy ③: Aspirin treatment for Chinese adults aged 40-69 years with a high 10-year cardiovascular risk and blood pressure well-controlled (< 150/90 mmHg), recommended by the 2019 Guideline on the Assessment and Management of Cardio-vascular Risk in China. The high 10-year cardiovascular risk was defined as the 10-year predicted risk over 10% based on the 2019 World Health Organization non-laboratory model. The Markov model simulated different strategies for ten years (cycles) with parameters mainly from the CHERRY study or published literature. Quality-adjusted life year (QALY) and the number needed to treat (NNT) for each ischemic event (including myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke) were calculated to assess the effectiveness of the different strategies. The number needed to harm (NNH) for each bleeding event (including hemorrhagic stroke and gastrointestinal bleeding) was calculated to assess the safety. The NNT for each net benefit (i.e., the difference of the number of ischemic events could be prevented and the number of bleeding events would be added) was also calculated. One-way sensitivity analysis on the uncertainty of the incidence rate of cardiovascular diseases and probabilistic sensitivity analysis on the uncertainty of hazard ratios of interventions were conducted. RESULTS: A total of 212 153 Chinese adults, were included in this study. The number of people who were recommended for aspirin treatment Strategies ①-③ was 34 235, 2 813, and 25 111, respectively. The Strategy ③ could gain the most QALY of 403 [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 222-511] years. Compared with Strategy ①, Strategy ③ had similar efficiency but better safety, with the extra NNT of 4 (95%UI: 3-4) and NNH of 39 (95%UI: 19-132). The NNT per net benefit was 131 (95%UI: 102-239) for Strategy ①, 256 (95%UI: 181-737) for Strategy ②, and 132 (95%UI: 104-232) for Strategy ③, making Strategy ③ the most favorable option with a better QALY and safety, along with similar efficiency in terms of net benefit. The results were consistent in the sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION The aspirin treatment strategies recommended by the updated guidelines on the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases showed a net benefit for high-risk Chinese adults from developed areas. However, to balance effectiveness and safety, aspirin is suggested to be used for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases with consideration for blood pressure control, resulting in better intervention efficiency.
Adult ; Humans ; Aspirin/therapeutic use* ; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology* ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Myocardial Infarction/prevention & control* ; Primary Prevention/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Aged

AIM: To observe the clinical efficacy of Yishen Yanggan Mingmu formula combined with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration(wARMD).METHODS: A total of 58 patients(58 eyes)with wARMD who were treated in Ningbo Eye Hospital from September 2020 to November 2022 were collected. They were divided into two groups according to randomized digital table: 29 patients(29 eyes)for the combination group and the other 29 patients(29 eyes)for the injection group. The injection group was only given intravitreal injection of conbercept; the combination group was orally administrated with Yishen Yanggan Mingmu formula combined with intravitreal injection of conbercept. The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT)and the improvement of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndromes after 3mo of treatment were observed and the clinical efficacy was evaluated.RESULTS: After 3mo of treatment, the total improved effective rate of the combination group(76%)was higher than the rate of the injection group(66%). After the treatment, the BCVA of the two groups was both higher than that before treatment(P<0.05), the CMT in both groups was lower than that before the treatment(P<0.05), and the improvement of CMT of the combination group was better than the injection group(-155.93±143.79μm vs. -95.36±56.81μm, P<0.05). After 3mo of treatment, each kinds of TCM syndrome in the combination group were significantly improved compared with those syndromes before the treatment(P<0.001). In the injection group, only blurred vision was improved(P<0.05). After the treatment, the scores of dizziness and insomnia, soreness and weakness of waist and knees, paleness and cold limbs, dry eyes and fatigue in the combination group were significantly lower than the injection group(P<0.001).CONCLUSIONS: The Yishen Yanggan Mingmu formula combined with intravitreal anti-VEGF drug injection is effective in the treatment of wARMD.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) reportedly function as important modulators of gene regulation and malignant processes in the development of human cancers. The lncRNA JPX is a novel molecular switch for X chromosome inactivation and differentially expressed JPX has exhibited certain clinical correlations in several cancers. Notably, JPX participates in cancer growth, metastasis, and chemoresistance, by acting as a competing endogenous RNA for microRNA, interacting with proteins, and regulating some specific signaling pathways. Moreover, JPX may serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer. The present article summarizes our current understanding of the structure, expression, and function of JPX in malignant cancer processes and discusses its molecular mechanisms and potential applications in cancer biology and medicine.
Humans ; RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics* ; Neoplasms/genetics* ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Gene Expression Regulation ; X Chromosome Inactivation

Objective: To understand the hospitalization rates and influencing factors after diagnosis among HIV infection cases, based on real-world data in Yinzhou district of Ningbo. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted based on the databases of National AIDS Comprehensive Response Information Management System and Yinzhou Health Information Platform. The information about the following-up results, antiviral treatment data, electronic records of inpatient of the HIV cases reported during 2012-2020 were collected to analyze the rates, causes and influencing factors of hospitalization. Results: Among the 763 HIV infection cases reported in Yinzhou from 2012 to 2020, the hospitalization rate was 6.95% (53/763), and the number of inpatient was 2.59 per 100 person years. The hospitalization rate and the number of hospitalization per 100 person years in HIV infection cases were 3.16% (10/316) and 0.81 in those aged <30 years, 6.07% (15/247) and 1.59 in those aged >30 years, 7.86% (11/140) and 4.05 in those aged >45 years and 28.33% (17/60) and 17.40 in those aged ≥60 years respectively. Logistic multivariate regression analysis indicated that being aged ≥60 years was the influencing factor for hospitalizations in HIV infection cases (аOR=14.44, 95%CI:3.57-58.46). The hospitalization rates due to AIDS related diseases, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic diseases, and other diseases were 1.83% (14/763), 1.05% (8/763), and 3.93% (30/763), respectively. Conclusions: The hospitalization burden due to HIV infection was still mainly caused by those aged ≥60 years in Yinzhou, similar to that in general population and less proportion of hospitalizations were due to AIDS related diseases. The overall increase of hospitalizations due to AIDS was not obvious in Yinzhou.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/epidemiology* ; HIV Infections/therapy* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological and pathogenic characteristics of foodborne diseases among students in Ningbo from 2014 to 2021, so as to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of foodborne diseases in schools. Methods: Information on foodborne disease cases among students attending all surveillance hospitals in Ningbo from 2014 to 2021 was collected from the Foodborne Disease Surveillance System of Zhejiang Province, and epidemiological characteristics and pathogenic analysis were analyzed. Results: A total of 3 602 cases of foodborne diseases in the student population were reported in Ningbo, of which 54.58% were males and 45.42% were females. Students aged 18 years and above accounted for the highest incidence group, and the incidence time mainly showed two peaks in May to June and September to October. Meat and meat products accounted for the largest proportion of suspicious foods (21.11%), and the positive pathogen detection rates were 11.20% for Norovirus, 3.30% for Vibrio parahaemolyticus, 1.77% for Salmonella, 1.30% for diarrheogenic Escherichia coli and 0.18% for Shigella. Conclusion The main suspect foods for foodborne diseases among students in Ningbo are primarily meat and meat products, and the main etiological agent is norovirus, which requires strengthening food safety health education and food safety management.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of statin treatment strategies based on risk assessment for the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases by the Western guidelines in a community-based Chinese population from economically developed areas using data from the Chinese electronic health records research in Yinzhou (CHERRY) study. METHODS: A Markov model was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the following statin treatment strategies, including: (1) usual care without cardiovascular risk assessment(Strategy 0); (2) using the World Health Organization (WHO) non-laboratory-based risk charts with statin treatment for high-risk group (risk ≥ 20%) (Strategy 1); (3) using the WHO laboratory-based risk charts with statin treatment for high-risk group (risk ≥ 20%) (Strategy 2); and (4) using the Prediction for Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease Risk in China (China-PAR) model with statin treatment for high-risk group (risk ≥ 10%, Strategy 3). According to the guidelines, adults in the medium-risk group received lifestyle intervention, and adults in the high-risk group received life-style intervention and statin treatment under these strategies. The Markov model simulated different strategies for ten years (cycles) using parameters from the CHERRY study, published data, meta-analyses and systematic reviews for Chinese. The number of cardiovascular events or deaths, as well as the number need to treat (NNT) with statin per cardiovascular event or death prevented, were calculated to compare the effectiveness of different strategies. One-way sensitivity analysis on the uncertainty of incidence rate of cardiovascular diseases, and probabilistic sensitivity analysis on the uncertainty of hazard ratios of interventions were conducted. RESULTS: Totally 225 811 Chinese adults aged 40-79 years without cardiovascular diseases at baseline were enrolled. In contrast to the usual care without risk assessment-based statin treatment strategy, Strategy 1 using the WHO non-laboratory-based risk charts could prevent 3 482 [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 2 110-4 661] cardiovascular events, Strategy 2 using the WHO laboratory-based risk charts could prevent 3 685 (95%UI: 2 255-4 912) events, and Strategy 3 using the China-PAR model could prevent 3 895 (95%UI: 2 396-5 181) events. NNTs with statin per cardiovascular event prevented were 22 (95%UI: 14-54), 21 (95%UI: 14-52), and 27 (95%UI: 17-67), respectively. Strategy 3 could prevent more cardiovascular events, while Strategies 1 and 2 required fewer numbers need to treat with statin per cardiovascular event prevented. The results were consistent in the sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION The statin treatment strategies based on risk assessment for the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases recommended by the Western guidelines could achieve substantive health benefits in adults from developed areas of China. Using the China-PAR model for cardiovascular risk assessment could prevent more cardiovascular diseases while using the WHO risk charts seems more efficient.
Adult ; Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control* ; China/epidemiology* ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; Primary Prevention