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.

Dry eye （DE） is a prevalent multifactorial disease of the ocular surface， clinically characterized by tear film homeostasis imbalance accompanied by related ocular surface symptoms. Specifically， the tear film is a thin liquid layer of tears covering the cornea and conjunctiva through blinking， while tear film homeostasis serves as the foundation for maintaining normal ocular surface structure and function. Insufficient tear secretion and excessive tear film evaporation lead to tear hyperosmolarity and the production of inflammatory mediators， disrupting tear film homeostasis and subsequently forming DE. Additionally， cascade reactions are triggered， resulting in a "vicious cycle of DE" that exacerbates the disease severity and prolongs its duration. Therefore， for DE treatment， it is crucial to restore tear film homeostasis and terminate this vicious cycle. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， which differentiates and treats DE based on systemic conditions， often achieves favorable therapeutic outcomes， offering additional treatment options for DE. Studies have demonstrated that TCM can alleviate DE by regulating tear film homeostasis and terminating the vicious cycle. This review systematically summarizes recent basic experimental research in China and abroad on TCM in alleviating DE by regulating tear film homeostasis， aiming to provide a theoretical basis for clinical treatment and an insight for research design.

AIM To study the chemical constituents from Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg and their antitumor activity in vitro.METHODS Silica gel,ODS,Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC were used for isolation and purification,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.The antitumor activity in vitro was determined by MTT mothod.RESULTS Twenty-eight compounds were isolated and identified as triphyllin A(1),eruberin B(2),(2S,4R)-5,7-dihydroxy-4,4'-dimethyl-6,8-dimethyl-flavan-5-O-β-D-6-acetylglucopyranoside-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(3),eruberin A(4),abacopterin Ⅰ(5),matteucinol(6),homoerodictyol(7),(2S)-5,3',4'-trihydroxy-7-methoxy-flavanone(8),(2S)-5,2',5'-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone(9),galinsonside B(10),quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(11),kaempferol 3-O-robinobioside(12),rutin(13),geniposide(14),jasminoside A(15),β-sitostenone(16),sitosterol palmitate(17),β-sitosterol(18),ursolic acid(19),hyptadienic acid(20),3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid(21),3,4-dimethoxybenzoic acid(22),gallic acid(23),dibutylphthalate(24),bis-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate(25),9-nonadecenoic acid(26),triacylglycerol(27),crocin Ⅰ(28).The IC50 values of compound 1 for human gastric adenocarcinoma cells BGC-823 and human colon cancer cells HCT-116 were(22.07±0.38),(20.67±0.11)μmol/L,respectively.The IC50 value of compound 9 for BGC-823 cells was(21.58±0.05)μmol/L,and the IC50 value of compound 4 for HCT-116 cells was(16.67±0.36)μmol/L.CONCLUSION Compounds 1-10,14-15 and 28 are first isolated from Tetrastigma genus.Compounds 1,4,9 have weak antitumor activity in vitro.

AIM To investigate the effects of Yiqi Juanbi Formula on chondrocyte pyroptosis in rat models of collagen-induced arthritis(CIA).METHODS Fifty rats were subcutaneously injected at the tail base with an emulsion containing equal volumes of bovine type Ⅱ collagen and incomplete Freund's adjuvant(IFA)to establish the CIA models.These rats were then randomly assigned to the model group,the methotrexate group(0.35 mg/kg),and the low-dose,medium-dose,and high-dose Yiqi Juanbi Formula groups(9.4,18.7,37.4 g/kg),in contrast to the ten intact rats serving in the normal control group.Following four weeks of intragastric administration,the rats had their general conditions observed;their joint swelling and arthritis indices measured;their ankle joint pathology assessed by HE staining;their serum levels of IL-1β,IL-18 and TNF-ɑ detected by ELISA;their mRNA expressions of NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,IL-1β,IL-18 and TNF-ɑ in ankle cartilage quantified by RT-qPCR;their protein expressions of NF-κB,NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in ankle cartilage analyzed by Western blot;and their NLRP3 and GSDMD positive expressions in ankle cartilage examined by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS Compared to the control group,the model group showed significantly increased joint swelling and arthritis indices(P＜0.01);elevated serum levels of IL-1 β,IL-18 and TNF-ɑ(P＜0.01);pathological changes including cartilage surface defects,reduced cell count,altered cellular morphology,irregular cell arrangement,and significant inflammatory cell infiltration in synovial tissue;upregulated mRNA expressions of NF-κB,NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,IL-1β,IL-18 and TNF-ɑ(P＜0.01)and increased protein expressions of NF-κB,NLRP3 and Caspase-1(P＜0.01)in ankle cartilage;enhanced positive expressions of NLRP3 and GSDMD in ankle cartilage(P＜0.01).Compared to the model group,the groups intervened with methotrexate or medium-or high-dose Yiqi Juanbi Formula exhibited reduced joint swelling and arthritis indices(P＜0.01);alleviated pathological damage in ankle joints;decreased serum levels of IL-1β,IL-18 and TNF-ɑ(P＜0.01);downregulated mRNA expressions of NF-κB,NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,IL-1β,IL-18 and TNF-ɑ(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and reduced protein expressions of NF-κB,NLRP3 and Caspase-1(P＜0.05,P＜0.01)in ankle cartilage;and diminished positive expressions of NLRP3 and GSDMD in ankle cartilage(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION Yiqi Juanbi Formula alleviates inflammation in CIA rats,potentially by inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway,thereby suppressing chondrocyte pyroptosis.

Objective:To standardize the management of Investigator-Initiated Trials(IITs) and improve the quality of research projects, this study takes a tertiary hospital in Beijing as an example to analyze the key risk points in the implementation process of IITs and proposes countermeasures based on the issues identified during the management process.Methods:The study analyzed the IITs conducted at in the hospital from 2022 to 2023, focusing on 4 aspects: project classification evaluation and management (risk management), project implementation quality (process management), collaboration and support conditions(contract review and execution), and participant protection (medical ethics). It examined the key points and difficulties in project process management to standardize the quality management of IITs.Results:The implementation process management of IITs in medical institutions was an essential component for standardized clinical research management and an effective means to ensure the scientific nature of clinical research and the quality of data.Conclusions:Medical institutions should establish an effective and feasible IIT quality management system to comprehensively enhance the quality of IIT project, aiming to produce high-quality clinical research outcomes.

Background and purpose:Despite Radiation-induced lymphopenia has been associated with poor survival outcomes in certain solid tumors,there is limited evidence for small cell lung cancer(SCLC).The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the absolute lymphocyte count before and after radiotherapy could predict the clinical outcomes for limited-stage SCLC(LS-SCLC)patients.Methods:This was a single-center,retrospective cohort study.A retrospective analysis of patients evaluated at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from January 2007 to December 2017 was conducted.Inclusion criteria:⑴ pathologically confirmed small-cell lung cancer;⑵ limited-stage disease defined by positron emission tomography and computed tomography(PET/CT)and contrast-enhanced brain magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)[American Joint Committee on Cancer(AJCC)8th edition TNM stage M0];⑶ receipt of definitive chemoradiotherapy;⑷ availability of complete blood counts before,during and within 1 month after radiotherapy;⑸ complete survival,relapse,and last-follow-up information retrievable.Exclusion criteria:⑴ distant metastasis at baseline(AJCC 8th edition TNM stage M1,including any distant nodal,visceral,or bone-marrow involvement);⑵ total radiotherapy dose＜50 Gy[calculated as an equivalent biological dose at 2 Gy/fraction,i.e.,a biological effective dose(BED)＜40 Gy];⑶ incomplete laboratory data at any scheduled time point;⑷ inability to ascertain survival or relapse status or insufficient follow-up records.The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee of Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center(approval number:2303271-15),and the requirement for informed consent was waived.Clinical data extracted comprised age,sex,Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status(ECOG PS)score,smoking history,TNM stage,chemotherapy regimen and number of cycles,radiotherapy dose and fractionation schedule,use of concurrent chemoradiotherapy and administration of prophylactic cranial irradiation(PCI).Laboratory data comprised serial absolute lymphocyte counts obtained within 1 month before,during and after radiotherapy;lymphopenia was graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events(CTCAE)version 4.0.Progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test.Results:A total of 170 patients were included.The median age of the patients was 57 years,with 77.6%being male.The median radiation therapy dose was 60 Gy(range:45-66 Gy).For the entire cohort,the median PFS was 22.0 months,the 5-year PFS rate was 31.3%,and the 10-year PFS rate was 19.8%.The median OS was 38.0 months,the 5-year OS rate was 37.5%,and the 10-year OS rate was 24.2%.Before radiation therapy,14 patients(8.2%)had grade 1-2 lymphocytopenia.During radiation therapy,the number of patients with grade 1,2,3 and 4 lymphocytopenia was 7(4.1%),22(12.9%),111(65.3%),and 24(14.1%),respectively.One month after radiation therapy,the number of patients with grade 1,2,3 and 4 lymphocytopenia was 36(21.2%),36(21.2%),11(6.5%)and 1(0.6%),respectively.There were no significant differences in PFS and OS among patients with different grades of lymphocytopenia before,during,or after radiation therapy.Conclusion:Before immunotherapy,radiotherapy-induced lymphopenia did not appear to affect the prognosis of patients with LS-SCLC.

Objective To explore the impact of modified capsular polishing technique on visual quality in patients af-ter femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery.Methods Eighty-four patients(84 eyes)who visited Xi'an People's Hospital(Xi'an Fourth Hospital)from January to June 2023 and were scheduled to undergo femtosecond laser-assisted phacoemulsification cataract extraction combined with intraocular lens implantation were selected as the research subjects.Before the surgery,the patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group.The observation group consisted of 44 patients(44 eyes)who received modified capsular polishing treatment.Viscoelastic material was in-jected behind the iris into the subcapsular space of the anterior capsule,causing compression of the peripheral posterior capsule and elevation of the central posterior capsule,so that parts of the anterior and posterior capsules adhered to each other.A Whitman Shepherd bimanual capsular polisher was then inserted through the main incision to perform a thorough 360-degree polishing of the anterior capsule and equatorial region,while simultaneously polishing the adhered areas of the posterior capsule.The control group consisted of 40 patients(40 eyes)who received traditional irrigation/aspiration(I/A)capsular polishing treatment.There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of gender composition,age,and preoperative best-corrected visual acuity(all P＞0.05).Both groups of patients were followed up to observe their best-corrected visual acuity,spherical aberration,coma aberration,and trefoil aberration at 1 day,1 week,1 month,and 3 months postoperatively.Results At 1 day,1 week,1 month,and 3 months postoperatively,the best-cor-rected visual acuity of patients in the observation group was superior to that in the control group,with statistically signifi-cant differences between the two groups at each time point(all P＜0.05).At 1 day,1 month,and 3 months postoperative-ly,the spherical aberration in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group(all P＜0.05).Three months postoperatively,the median coma aberration in the observation group[0.060(0.034,0.108)]was signifi-cantly lower than that in the control group[0.100(0.070,0.146)],with a statistically significant difference(Z=-2.805,P=0.005).One day postoperatively,the median trefoil aberration in the observation group[0.272(0.159,0.418)]was significantly lower than that in the control group[0.360(0.248,0.449)],with a statistically significant difference(Z=-2.299,P=0.022).Conclusion The modified capsular polishing technique can improve the visual quality of patients in the mid-term period after femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery.

Objective:To investigate the hemodynamic characteristics of intracranial collateral circulation assessed non-invasively by TCD and their correlation with clinical prognosis in patients with severe carotid stenosis or occlusion.Methods:A retrospective cohort study design was used to include 96 patients with severe stenosis(≥70％)or occlusion of the unilateral internal carotid artery admitted from March 2021 to March 2024,who were divided into a well-compensated group(58 patients)versus a poorly-compensated group(38 patients)based on the ASITN/SIR collateral branch score.Hemodynamic parameters(PSV,EDV,MFV,PI,RI)were measured using TCD,and collateral circulation status was validated by digital subtraction angiography(DSA).Prognosis was evaluated over a 12-month follow-up.Logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors for poor prognosis.Results:The good collateral group exhibited significantly higher PSV(82.32±18.51 vs.56.45±15.32 cm/s)and MFV(56.93±12.33 vs.35.89±9.83 cm/s),and significantly lower PI(0.64±0.15 vs.0.82±0.21)and RI(0.43±0.08 vs.0.51±0.11)compared to the poor collateral group(all P＜0.001).TCD parameters showed strong correlations with ASITN/SIR grades(PSV:r=0.62;PI:r=-0.61,all P＜0.001).Multivariate analysis identified age ≥65 years(OR=1.06),hypertension(OR=3.07),PI ≥ 1.00(OR=17.25),and PSV ≤ 60 cm/s(OR=1.96)as independent risk factors for poor prognosis(all P＜0.05).Conclusion:The TCD multi-parameter model enables quantitative assessment of collateral circulation function,with PI ≥ 1.00 and PSV ≤ 60 cm/s serving as key predictors of adverse outcomes.The non-invasive and dynamic monitoring advantages of TCD provide critical insights for hemodynamic stratification and personalized intervention in patients with carotid stenosis or occlusion.

Aim To investigate the therapeutic effects of cinnamaldehyde on synovial lesions in mice with knee osteoarthritis(KOA)and its regulatory mecha-nism in the phagocytic function of synovial macropha-ges.Methods In the animal experiments,mouse ser-um and synovial tissue were extracted.HE staining was used to evaluate the inflammatory cell infiltration in the synovial tissue.ELISA was employed to detect the lev-els of inflammatory factors such as interleukins in the serum.Western blot was used to detect the expression of Ras homolog family member A(RhoA),Rho-associ-ated protein kinase 1(ROCK1),myosin light chain(MLC),and p-MLC proteins in the synovial tissue.RT-qPCR was utilized to detect the expression of in-flammatory factors and pathway-related mRNA in the synovial tissue.TUNEL staining was used to detect ap-optosis in the synovial tissue.In the cellular experi-ments,after the intervention,RAW267.4 cells were subjected to Western blot and RT-qPCR for the detec-tion of the aforementioned indicators,and confocal mi-croscopy was used to assess phagocytic function.Re-sults After cinnamaldehyde intervention,the synovial inflammatory infiltration was significantly reduced,the protein and mRNA expression of the RhoA/ROCK1/MLC signaling pathway was markedly downregulated,the fluorescence intensity of TUNEL staining signifi-cantly decreased,and the phagocytic function of macro-phages was enhanced.Conclusion Cinnamaldehyde can inhibit RhoA/Rock1/MLC signaling pathway,en-hance macrophage burial,improve synovial inflamma-tion,and delay the progression of KO A mice.

Traditional development of small protein scaffolds has relied on display technologies and mutation-based engineering, which limit sequence and functional diversity, thereby constraining their therapeutic and application potential. Protein design tools have significantly advanced the creation of novel protein sequences, structures, and functions. However, further improvements in design strategies are still needed to more efficiently optimize the functional performance of protein-based drugs and enhance their druggability. Here, we extended an evolution-based design protocol to create a novel minibinder, BindHer, against the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). It not only exhibits super stability and binding selectivity but also demonstrates remarkable properties in tissue specificity. Radiolabeling experiments with ^99mTc, ⁶⁸Ga, and ¹⁸F revealed that BindHer efficiently targets tumors in HER2-positive breast cancer mouse models, with minimal nonspecific liver absorption, outperforming scaffolds designed through traditional engineering. These findings highlight a new rational approach to automated protein design, offering significant potential for large-scale applications in therapeutic mini-protein development.