Objective:To investigate the incidence of visual fatigue among military pilots during flights or simulated flights and analyze the correlations among the multidimensional evaluation indicators of visual fatigue.Methods:A total of 172 pilots from an Air Force unit were selected between March 2022 and August 2023. A self-made pilot visual fatigue scale [involving the basic information, visual fatigue status scale (VFSS), and visual quality scale (VQS) was used. The visual fatigue among pilots of different types was compared. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the correlations between the cumulative duration of visual display terminal (VDT) and the dimensions of the VFSS, as well as between dimensions of the VFSS and the VQS. Multiple linear regression was used to identify the determinants of the score of the VQS.Results:A total of 172 questionnaires were issued, 146 of which were valid, with an effective rate of 84.88%. Among the 146 military pilots, 73 were fighter pilots and 73 were pilots of other aircraft types (20 bombers, 5 helicopters, 36 transporters, 8 trainers, and 4 fighter-bombers). There were significant differences in the scores of various dimensions and the total score of the VFSS between pilots who were different in age, aircraft types, maximum single-sortie flight durations, and in the proportion of time spent viewing cockpit displays during flight missions ( F=4.93-14.41, t=2.37-4.86, all P<0.01 or <0.05). Significant differences in visual disturbance, systemic symptoms, environmental factors, and the total visual fatigue score were observed between pilots whose total flying hours were different ( F=14.18, 4.90, 4.66, 8.12, P<0.001, =0.009,0.011, <0.001). However, there were no significant differences in the scores of any dimension or in the total score of the VFSS between pilots with a history of ocular trauma or disease and those without (all P>0.05). The cumulative duration of VDT use was positively correlated with the scores of all dimensions and the total score of the VFSS ( r=0.353, 0.303, 0.312, 0.250, 0.356, P<0.001, <0.001, <0.001, =0.002, <0.001), the dimensions of which were positively correlated with those of the VQS ( r=0.448-0.781, all P<0.01). Age ( B=1.524, 95% CI: 0.503-2.545), proportions of time spent viewing cockpit displays during flight missions ( B=3.721, 95% CI: 1.683-5.759), starburst ( B=2.346, 95% CI: 0.516-4.176), blurred vision ( B=3.517, 95% CI: 1.168-5.866), visual fluctuation ( B=2.997, 95% CI: 1.036-4.957) and halo ( B=2.415, 95% CI: 0.469-4.362) were contributors to the total visual fatigue score. Conclusions:The scores of various dimensions and the total score of visual fatigue status in military pilots can increase with age, peak in the group ages 40 to 49, and then decline. Fighter pilots experience lower levels of visual fatigue than those of other aircraft types. The visual quality scale can serve as a reference for assessing pilots′ visual fatigue status. Cumulative durations of VDT use are positively correlated with the degree of visual fatigue. Age, proportions of time spent viewing cockpit displays during flight missions, starburst, blurred vision, visual fluctuation and halo can be used to quickly assess the risk level of visual fatigue among pilots.

Objective:To investigate the effects of allergens on expressions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα in blood CD4+Th17 cells of patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome(ARA)and plasma levels of IL-17A and IL-17F in ARA patients.Methods:ARA patients(n=25)and healthy volunteers(n=22)in the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University and Henan Provincial People's Hospital were recruited,and blood samples of the subjects were collected.Proportions of CD4+Th17 cells,and effects of allergens on expressions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα in Th17 cells were determined by flow cytometry.Levels of IL-17A and IL-17F were examined by Bioplex system.Correlation between levels of free plasma free IL-18(fIL-18)and IL-17A,and per-centage of Th17 cells was further analyzed.Results:Proportion of IL-18+cells in Th17 cells was increased in ARA patients by 26.0%(P<0.01),and house dust mite allergen induced 1.22-fold elevation in expression of IL-18 in Th17 cells(P<0.05).In addition,Arte-misiae sieversiana wild pollen allergen enhanced expressions of IL-18 and IL-18Rα in Th17 cells of ARA patients(P<0.05).Plasma levels of IL-17A and IL-17F were increased by 2.2 and 1.1 folds,respectively(P<0.05)in ARA patients,and they correlated well with other(R=0.712,P<0.01).Moreover,the increased level of fIL-18 was moderately correlated with the increased level of IL-17A and the elevated proportion of Th17 cells in ARA patients(r=0.607,r=0.652,P<0.05).Conclusion:The increased plasma fIL-18 in ARA patients may be derived from Th17 cells.Allergens may be involved in pathogenesis of ARA by inducing elevated IL-18 and IL-18Rα expressions in Th17 cells.

Objective:To investigate the effects of allergens on expressions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα in blood CD4+Th17 cells of patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome(ARA)and plasma levels of IL-17A and IL-17F in ARA patients.Methods:ARA patients(n=25)and healthy volunteers(n=22)in the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University and Henan Provincial People's Hospital were recruited,and blood samples of the subjects were collected.Proportions of CD4+Th17 cells,and effects of allergens on expressions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα in Th17 cells were determined by flow cytometry.Levels of IL-17A and IL-17F were examined by Bioplex system.Correlation between levels of free plasma free IL-18(fIL-18)and IL-17A,and per-centage of Th17 cells was further analyzed.Results:Proportion of IL-18+cells in Th17 cells was increased in ARA patients by 26.0%(P<0.01),and house dust mite allergen induced 1.22-fold elevation in expression of IL-18 in Th17 cells(P<0.05).In addition,Arte-misiae sieversiana wild pollen allergen enhanced expressions of IL-18 and IL-18Rα in Th17 cells of ARA patients(P<0.05).Plasma levels of IL-17A and IL-17F were increased by 2.2 and 1.1 folds,respectively(P<0.05)in ARA patients,and they correlated well with other(R=0.712,P<0.01).Moreover,the increased level of fIL-18 was moderately correlated with the increased level of IL-17A and the elevated proportion of Th17 cells in ARA patients(r=0.607,r=0.652,P<0.05).Conclusion:The increased plasma fIL-18 in ARA patients may be derived from Th17 cells.Allergens may be involved in pathogenesis of ARA by inducing elevated IL-18 and IL-18Rα expressions in Th17 cells.

Objective:To investigate the incidence of visual fatigue among military pilots during flights or simulated flights and analyze the correlations among the multidimensional evaluation indicators of visual fatigue.Methods:A total of 172 pilots from an Air Force unit were selected between March 2022 and August 2023. A self-made pilot visual fatigue scale [involving the basic information, visual fatigue status scale (VFSS), and visual quality scale (VQS) was used. The visual fatigue among pilots of different types was compared. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the correlations between the cumulative duration of visual display terminal (VDT) and the dimensions of the VFSS, as well as between dimensions of the VFSS and the VQS. Multiple linear regression was used to identify the determinants of the score of the VQS.Results:A total of 172 questionnaires were issued, 146 of which were valid, with an effective rate of 84.88%. Among the 146 military pilots, 73 were fighter pilots and 73 were pilots of other aircraft types (20 bombers, 5 helicopters, 36 transporters, 8 trainers, and 4 fighter-bombers). There were significant differences in the scores of various dimensions and the total score of the VFSS between pilots who were different in age, aircraft types, maximum single-sortie flight durations, and in the proportion of time spent viewing cockpit displays during flight missions ( F=4.93-14.41, t=2.37-4.86, all P<0.01 or <0.05). Significant differences in visual disturbance, systemic symptoms, environmental factors, and the total visual fatigue score were observed between pilots whose total flying hours were different ( F=14.18, 4.90, 4.66, 8.12, P<0.001, =0.009,0.011, <0.001). However, there were no significant differences in the scores of any dimension or in the total score of the VFSS between pilots with a history of ocular trauma or disease and those without (all P>0.05). The cumulative duration of VDT use was positively correlated with the scores of all dimensions and the total score of the VFSS ( r=0.353, 0.303, 0.312, 0.250, 0.356, P<0.001, <0.001, <0.001, =0.002, <0.001), the dimensions of which were positively correlated with those of the VQS ( r=0.448-0.781, all P<0.01). Age ( B=1.524, 95% CI: 0.503-2.545), proportions of time spent viewing cockpit displays during flight missions ( B=3.721, 95% CI: 1.683-5.759), starburst ( B=2.346, 95% CI: 0.516-4.176), blurred vision ( B=3.517, 95% CI: 1.168-5.866), visual fluctuation ( B=2.997, 95% CI: 1.036-4.957) and halo ( B=2.415, 95% CI: 0.469-4.362) were contributors to the total visual fatigue score. Conclusions:The scores of various dimensions and the total score of visual fatigue status in military pilots can increase with age, peak in the group ages 40 to 49, and then decline. Fighter pilots experience lower levels of visual fatigue than those of other aircraft types. The visual quality scale can serve as a reference for assessing pilots′ visual fatigue status. Cumulative durations of VDT use are positively correlated with the degree of visual fatigue. Age, proportions of time spent viewing cockpit displays during flight missions, starburst, blurred vision, visual fluctuation and halo can be used to quickly assess the risk level of visual fatigue among pilots.

Activated eosinophils are the core effector cells in immune responses.Interleukin-18(IL-18),a classical inflammasome-related cytokine,is reported to induce eosinophil differentiation,development and activation by binding with IL-18 receptor α,and thus promoting inflammation responses.Therefore,a thorough understanding of the role of IL-18 in eosinophil differentiation,development and activation is of great significance for the diagnosis and treat-ment of eosinophil-induced inflammatory diseases,and for the research and development of IL-18-related biological agents.

Special flight missions cover vast areas,involve urgent tasks,and often require long hours,leading to visual issues for crew,especially during night flights.These problems affect flight parameters and information access.Current special aircraft cockpit displays have low technical standards and limited product sources,restricting design choices.The absence of visual ergonomics evaluation tools and methods in the aviation industry significantly contributes to the shortcomings in military aircraft cockpit design.Considering the General Specification for Airborne Liquid Crystal Displays(GJB8187-2015)and other relevant standards,this covers modern cockpit display requirements,current cockpit display status,screen light source modification technology,and visual ergonomics assessment for cockpit displays.To determine if the visual clarity,color accuracy,and other attributes of current special aircraft airborne displays during flight meet the needs for long-duration operations,and if the operational environment ensures visual comfort and ergonomics to minimize visual fatigue.We seek to enhance the evaluation of visual ergonomics satisfaction for flight crews in current special aircraft cockpits and offers new approaches to optimize cockpit display technology,reducing visual issues from prolonged screen use during flights.

Objective:To detect the expression of Toll-like receptor 7(TLR7)in blood neutrophils of patients with allergic rhi-nitis(AR),allergic asthma(AA)and allergic rhinitis combined with allergic asthma(ARA)before and after allergen challenge.Methods:A total of 44 AR,36 AA,19 ARA patients and 19 healthy control(HC)were recruited,the extracts of Artemisia siever-siana wild allergen(ASWE),house dust mite allergen(HDME)and Platanus pollen allergen(PPAE)were used to challenge periph-eral blood of HC as well as the patients,the expression of TLR7 in neutrophils was detected by flow cytometry.Results:In a resting state,compared with HC,upregulated expression of TLR7 in neutrophils in patients with airway allergy:the percentage of TLR7+neu-trophils in AR,AA,ARA patients increased 6 times,3.18 times and 6.15 times,respectively,and the mean fluorescence intensity(MFI)of TLR7 expression in neutrophil in ARA was enhanced by 24%.The results of allergen challenge tests showed that the expres-sion of neutrophils TLR7 did not change in HC subjects after the allergen challenge,whereas the expression of TLR7 in neutrophils of patients with airway allergy was upregulated after the allergens challenge.After HDME and PPAE challenge,the percentage of TLR7+neutrophils in peripheral of AR patients increased by 8.40%and 33.03%,respectively,and the MFI of TLR7 enhanced by 29.62%and 35.72%,respectively.After ASWE and PPAE challenge.The percentage of TLR7+neutrophils in peripheral of AA pa-tients increased by 59.18%and 1.06 times,respectively,and the MFI of TLR7 enhanced by 68.93%and 47.33%,respectively.How-ever,after HDME stimulation only enhanced the MFI of neutrophil TLR7 in AA patients by 66.14%;after HDME challenge,the per-centage of TLR7 and MFI in peripheral blood neutrophils of patients with ARA increased by 21.05%and 35.61%,respectively,while after PPAE challenge,the percentage of TLR7+cells in patients with ARA increased by 20.07%.Conclusion:The expression of TLR7 in blood neutrophils is increased in patients with allergic airway diseases after allergen stimulation,suggesting that allergens may be involved in the occurrence and development of allergic airway diseases by inducing TLR7 expression changes in neutrophils.

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction,which is caused by the body's uncontrolled immune response to infection.Tissue masts cells(MC),derived from blood mast cell progenitors,are one of the classical effector cells in inflammatory response.MC plays an important role in sepsis via secreting a variety of inflammatory mediators and cytokines.Here,we summarized the potential roles of MC in sepsis,which is expected to provide novel ideas for the future research on the novel mechanisms of MC in sepsis.

【Objective】 To investigate the expression of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) in B cells in the peripheral blood of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), allergic asthma (AA), AR combined with AA (ARA) and the blood or lung tissue of sensitized mice, as well as the effect of allergens on its expression. 【Methods】 A total of 100 volunteers from The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University were recruited for outpatient and acute inpatient attacks, consisting of 19 healthy people (HC) with negative prick test result, 40 AR patients, 26 AA patients, and 15 ARA patients with positive prick test result. The expression of TLR9 in the peripheral blood B cells of the patients before and after stimulation by house dust mite allergen extract (HDME), Artemisia sieversiana wild allergen extract (ASWE), and Platanus pollen allergen extract (PPE) was detected by flow cytometry. AR and AA sensitization models were established in WT mice and FcεRI-KO mice to detect the effects of allergens and FcεRI on the expression of TLR9 in B cells. 【Results】 The expression and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of TLR9 in peripheral blood B cells of unstimulated AR, AA and ARA patients were higher than those of HC. After allergen stimulation, the expression of TLR9 and its MFI in blood B cells of AR and AA patients increased (P<0.05). In WT mice and FcεRI-KO mice, compared with NS control mice, MFI was increased in almost each group. Compared with the NS control group, there was no significant difference in the expression of TLR9⁺ in B cells in the lung tissues of AA mice with FcεRI-KO after allergen challenge, but their MFI increased. FcεRI-KO mice had lower TLR9⁺ MFI in B cells after allergen challenge compared with WT mice. 【Conclusion】 TLR9 in B cells may be involved in the occurrence of AR and AA, and detecting the expression of TLR9 in B cells may be a new direction for the diagnosis of AR and AA.

Activated eosinophils are the core effector cells in immune responses.Interleukin-18(IL-18),a classical inflammasome-related cytokine,is reported to induce eosinophil differentiation,development and activation by binding with IL-18 receptor α,and thus promoting inflammation responses.Therefore,a thorough understanding of the role of IL-18 in eosinophil differentiation,development and activation is of great significance for the diagnosis and treat-ment of eosinophil-induced inflammatory diseases,and for the research and development of IL-18-related biological agents.