AIM: To compare the agreement between the ARK Biometer Combo and OA 2000 in patients wearing orthokeratology lenses.METHODS: A prospective study. A total of 148 patients(148 eyes)who were wearing orthokeratology lenses and returned for follow-up at the Shanghai Eye Disease Prevention and Treatment Center from August to September 2024 were included. Biometric measurements were performed using both the ARK Biometer Combo and OA 2000. Parameters including axial length(AL), corneal central thickness(CCT), anterior chamber depth(ACD), lens thickness(LT), corneal curvature(Kf and Ks), astigmatism(AST), white-to-white corneal diameter(WTW)and pupil diameter(PD)were obtained. Differences in measurement parameters between the two biometers were compared, and agreement was assessed.RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the measurements of Kf, Ks and AST between the two biometers(P>0.05). Statistically significant differences were found in the measurements of AL, CCT, ACD, LT, WTW and PD(t=2.559, P=0.012; t=16.771, P<0.0001; t=4.749, P<0.0001; t=-15.212, P<0.0001; t=-14.915, P<0.0001; t=-2.402, P=0.018). ICC ranged from 0.615 to 0.999. Bland-Altman analysis showed that the maximum absolute values of the 95% limits of agreement(LoA)of AL, CCT, ACD, LT, Kf, Ks, AST, WTW and PD were 0.07 mm, 35.07 μm, 0.07 mm, 0.12 mm, 0.66 D, 1.14 D, 1.00 D, 0.76 mm, and 0.98 mm, respectively.CONCLUSION: In orthokeratology patients, the ARK Biometer Combo and OA 2000 showed good agreement in measuring AL, CCT, ACD, Kf and LT, and can be used interchangeably.

While multiple step saccades (MSS) are occasionally reported in the healthy population, they are more evident in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Therefore, MSS has been suggested as a biological marker for the diagnosis of PD. However, the lack of clarity on the neural mechanism underlying the generation of MSS largely impedes their application in the clinic. We have proposed recently that MSS are triggered by the discrepancy between desired and executed saccades. Accordingly, brain regions involved in saccadic planning and execution might play a role in the generation of MSS. To test this hypothesis, we explored the role of the prefrontal (PFC) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in generating MSS by conducting two experiments: electroencephalographic recording and single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation in the PFC or PPC of humans while participants were performing a gap saccade task. We found that the PFC and PPC are involved in the generation of MSS.
Humans ; Parietal Lobe/physiology* ; Saccades/physiology* ; Prefrontal Cortex/physiology* ; Male ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ; Female ; Electroencephalography ; Adult ; Young Adult

Objective:To establish a method of dual nueleic acid test strips for rapid detection of Bacillus cereus cytK and nhe toxin genes based on polymerase chain reaction(PCR)and colloidal gold technique,and to evaluate its specificity,sensitivity,repeatability and stability.Methods:Bacillus cereus DNA was extracted by boiling method.Specific primers were designed with Bacillus cereus cytK and nhe as the target genes.Clonal transformation was used to identify the PCR products.The optimal labeling amounts of colloidal gold-labeled streptavidin,quality control line(C line),cytK detection line(T1)and nhe detection line(T2)were determined.The nucleic acid test strips were assembled and its specificity,sensitivity,reproducibility and stability were evaluated.Results:The DNA concentration of Bacillus cereus was 248 mg·L-1,and the purities were 1.8-2.0.After cloning and plasmid sequencing,the similarities between the PCR products and the sequences of cytK and nhe registered in the GenBank database were 100％.Under the condition of pH 7.0,the optimal amount of streptavidin labeling per 200 μL of colloidal gold solution was 6.0 μL;the optimal marking amount was 2.00 g·L-1 for the quality control line(C line),0.550 g·L-1 for cytK gene detection line(T1)and 0.2 g·L-1 for nhe gene detection line(T2).In the specificity test,positive result on the test strips was seen only for Bacillus cereus,and no cross-reactivity was observed for Staphylococcus aureus,Escherichia coli,Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis,which were consistent with the electrophoresis results.Sensitivity assay showed that even when DNA concentration was reduced to 10-2 mg·L-1,three bands(C line,T1 line and T2 line)could be observed,and the detection limit of the test strip was one-tenth of agarose gel electrophoresis(10-1 mg·L-1).The nucleic acid test strips were verified by different operators in different laboratories,and the results were consistent.The stability of the test strips was verified at the 6th,9th and 12th months,and the results showed good stability.Conclusion:The dual nucleic acid test strip method established in this study can simutaneously detect the cytK and nhe toxin genes of Bacillus cereus with high sensitivity and specificity,achieving short-term visual detection.

Objective:To discuss the effect of quorum sensing-related gene expression on biofilm formation and drug resistance in clinically multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa,and to clarify the mechanism of enhacing drug resistance.Methods:A total of 77 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were collected.Based on drug resistance,the strains were divided into multidrug-resistant group and sensitive group.The optimal biofilm formation conditions were determined using the microtiter plate method;biofilm formations of the stains in both groups was observed under an optical microscope;crystal violet staining was used to semiquantitatively detect biofilm formation ability of P.aeruginosa in both groups;microbroth dilution method was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC)values of the quorum sensing inhibitor(C-30)against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in both groups;RNA was extracted from two groups using a commercial kit,while RNA from planktonic state and biofilm state of multidrug-resistant strains was extracted using modified TRIzol method;real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)method was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of quorum sensing-related genes(lasR/I,RhlR/I,PqsR/A)of the stains in multidrug-resistant group and sensitive group,as well as before and after adding the quorum sensing inhibitor C-30.Results:Among 77 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa,56 were multidrug-resistant(multidrug-resistant group)and 21 were fully sensitive(sensitive group).Optimal biofilm formation occurred at a bacterial concentration of 1.5×108 CFU·mL-1 with 48 h incubation.The biofilm positivity rate was 91%,with strongly positive,moderately positive,weakly positive,and negative biofilms accounting for 16%,34%,41%,and 9%,respectively.The biofilm positivity rate in multidrug-resistant strains was 96%,and biofilm formation ability in multidrug-resistant group was higher than that in sensitive group(P<0.05).When the concentration of C-30 was 8 mg·L-1 the biofilm formation in most Pseudomonas aeruginosa was inhibited,with enhanced suppression at higher concentrations.The absorbtion(A)value of both planktonic-state and biofilm-state RNA ranged from 1.8 to 2.0.The RT-qPCR results showed that compared with planktonic state,the expression levels of lasR/I,RhlR/I,and PqsR/A mRNA of the stains in biofilm state were significantly increased(P<0.01).Compared with non-inhibitor group,the expression levels of lasR/I,RhlR/I,and PqsR/A mRNA in biofilm state of inhibitor-treated group were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion:High expression of quorum sensing-related genes in multidrug-resistant P.aeruginosa promotes biofilm formation,thereby enhancing drug resistance.

Objective:To establish a rapid detection method for pathogenic microorganisms by combining loop-mediated isothermal amplification(LAMP)and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 12a(Cas12a)(CRISPR-Cas12a)system,and to evaluate its efficacy for detecting the thermolabile hemolysin(tlh)gene of Vibrio parahaemolyticus(Vp).Methods:Using the tlh gene of Vp as the target gene,LAMP primers and CRISPR RNA(crRNA)were designed to construct and optimize the optimal concentration ratio of each component in the LAMP-CRISPR detection system.Bacillus cereus,Staphylococcus aureus,and Escherichia coli were used as control groups,and the specificity,sensitivity,reproducibility and positive conformity rate were verified to establish a rapid LAMP-CRISPR/Cas12a method for detecting the tlh gene of Vp.Results:The method specifically detected Vp,while Bacillus cereus,Staphylococcus aureus,and Escherichia coli yielded negative results.The DNA extraction concentration of Vp was 190.67 mg·L-1 with an A(260)/(A280)ratio of 1.84.Under the reaction conditions of 37℃ with 80 cycles for 40 min using quantitative PCR(qPCR)method,when the concentrations of Cas12a protein and crRNA in the LAMP-CRISPR/Cas12a system were 50 nmol·L-1,the visual brightness and relative fluorescence intensity peaks were high.The sensitivity of LAMP CRISPR/Cas12a for detecting Vp DNA concentration could reach 10-6 mg·L-1.The reproducibility test results showed that different experimenters had consistent results in different experimental environments and times.Conclusion:The established LAMP-CRISPR/Cas12a method can rapidly detect the tlh gene of Vp with high sensitivity and specificity,and can achieve short-term visual detection in the field.

OBJECTIVES: To detect prfA and hly toxin genes of Listeria monocytogenes using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and colloidal gold technology. METHODS: L. monocytogenes DNA was extracted by boiling method. With prfA and hly of L. monocytogenes as the target genes, the 5' ends of upstream and downstream primers of prfA gene were labeled with 6-FAM and biotin, and the 5' ends of upstream and downstream primers of hly gene were labeled with digoxin and biotin, respectively, to establish the toxin gene detection method. Using cloning transformation, sequencing analysis, cloning of positive control products, the detection kid was developed and its specificity, sensitivity, reproducibility and stability were tested, followed by verification with sample testing. RESULTS: The concentration of L. monocytogenes DNA extracted by boiling method was 148.81±0.97 ng/μL, and the A₂₆₀/A₂₈₀ ratio ranged from 1.8 to 2.0. The PCR products showed a 100% homology with the gene sequences in GenBank database after cloning, transformation and sequencing. The colloidal gold strip yielded positive results only for L. monocytogenes samples without cross-reactions with Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli or Bacillus cereus, and its minimum detection limit was 10^-2 ng/μL, demonstrating a 10-fold greater sensitivity of the test than agarose gel electrophoresis. The test also showed good reproducibility of the results when performed by different operators with good stability of the test strips after storage for 6 to 12 months. The test results showed that this kit could accurately and quickly detect L.monocytogenes in the test samples. CONCLUSIONS The detection kit developed in this study can simultaneously detect prfA and hly toxin genes of L. monocytogenes with good specificity, sensitivity, reproducibility and stability for use in food safety inspection.
Listeria monocytogenes/isolation & purification* ; Gold Colloid ; Bacterial Toxins/genetics* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods* ; Hemolysin Proteins/genetics* ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics* ; DNA, Bacterial/genetics* ; Food Microbiology ; Heat-Shock Proteins

Objective To explore the prognostic value and immune effects of insulin-like growth factor family 2(IGFL2)in bladder cancer based on data from TCGA,TIMER2.0 and HPA.Methods Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to analyze the expression of IGFL2 in bladder cancer and its relationship with survival and prognosis of bladder cancer patients.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and prognostic nomogram were plotted to analyze the diagnostic value of IGFL2 for bladder cancer and its ability to predict the 5-year overall survival rate of patients.IGFL2-related signaling pathways were analyzed with GSEA enrichment.The correlation between IGFL2 expression and immune cells was analyzed based on data from the TIMER database.Results IGFL2 was highly expressed in bladder cancer(P＜0.001).The high expression of IGFL2 was positively correlated with patients'age,pathological stage,histological grade and T stage(all P＜0.05).Patients'with high IGFL2 expression had shorter overall survival and disease-specific survival than those with low IGFL2 expression(all P＜0.05).IGFL2 could be used as an independent prognostic factor for bladder cancer with good diagnostic and predictive value.GSEA enrichment analysis showed that IGFL2 was involved in signaling pathways related to immunity,inflammation and tumor.High IGFL2 expression was positively correlated with the infiltration of most immune cells.Conclusion IGFL2 is highly expressed in bladder cancer and can be a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of this disease.It may become a potential target for immunotherapy.

Based on the theory of "spleen functions as wei qi"， this paper believes that the disease mechanism of allergic rhinitis （AR） in children is the nasal dysfunction caused by the loss of spleen's wei qi. The root cause of AR is the failure of splenic transportation as well as its inability to properly distribute nutrients. The inducement of AR is the invasion of pathogenic qi coupled with insecurity of the wei exterior. The key to AR recurrence lies in the deficiency of healthy qi and lingering of pathogenic qi， with pathogenic qi lodging inside the body. The treatment should adhere to the principle of helping the spleen restore wei qi. During the acute phase， the treatment should dispel wind， conso-lidate the wei qi， and relieve stuffy orifices， and the modified Qufeng Tongqiao Decoction （祛风通窍汤） is used. During the remission phase， the treatment should fortify the spleen， raise the clear， and harmonize the wei qi， and the modified Yuhan Decoction （御寒汤） is applied. During the recovery phase， the treatment should reinforce the healthy qi， consolidate the constitution， and strengthen the wei qi， and the modified Huangqi Jianzhong Decoction （黄芪建中汤） is employed.

Objective To explore the prognostic value and immune effects of insulin-like growth factor family 2(IGFL2)in bladder cancer based on data from TCGA,TIMER2.0 and HPA.Methods Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to analyze the expression of IGFL2 in bladder cancer and its relationship with survival and prognosis of bladder cancer patients.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and prognostic nomogram were plotted to analyze the diagnostic value of IGFL2 for bladder cancer and its ability to predict the 5-year overall survival rate of patients.IGFL2-related signaling pathways were analyzed with GSEA enrichment.The correlation between IGFL2 expression and immune cells was analyzed based on data from the TIMER database.Results IGFL2 was highly expressed in bladder cancer(P＜0.001).The high expression of IGFL2 was positively correlated with patients'age,pathological stage,histological grade and T stage(all P＜0.05).Patients'with high IGFL2 expression had shorter overall survival and disease-specific survival than those with low IGFL2 expression(all P＜0.05).IGFL2 could be used as an independent prognostic factor for bladder cancer with good diagnostic and predictive value.GSEA enrichment analysis showed that IGFL2 was involved in signaling pathways related to immunity,inflammation and tumor.High IGFL2 expression was positively correlated with the infiltration of most immune cells.Conclusion IGFL2 is highly expressed in bladder cancer and can be a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of this disease.It may become a potential target for immunotherapy.

Objective:To compare the efficacy of drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty and self-expanding stenting in symptomatic middle cerebral artery stenosis (MCAS).Methods:A retrospective study was performed. Patients with symptomatic MCAS admitted to Department of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Interventional Center, He'nan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2020 to December 2022 were chosen from their prospective study database. They were divided into a DCB group and a stent group based on approaches. Baseline data differences between the two groups were eliminated using 1: 1 propensity score matching (PSM). Then, the technical success rate, immediate restenosis rate, and 6-month restenosis rate, and clinical outcomes within 30 days and 1 year of procedure were compared between the two groups.Results:After PSM, 58 patients were included, with 29 in the stent group and 29 in the DCB group. Technical success rate was 93.1% (27/29) in the DCB group and 96.6% (28/29) in the stent group, without significant difference ( P>0.05). The immediate restenosis rate was 6.9% (2/29) in the DCB group and 3.4% (1/29) in the stent group, without significant difference ( P>0.05). In terms of safety, no stroke or death events were noted in the two groups within 30 days of procedure; ischemic stroke incidence in the offending vessel areas within 1 year of procedure in the DCB group and stent group was 3.7% (1/27) and 11.5% (3/26), without significant difference ( P>0.05); no hemorrhagic stroke or death were noted in the two groups within 1 year of procedure. In terms of efficacy, the modified Rankin scale score of the two groups was both 0 (0, 0) at 1 year of follow-up, without significant difference ( P>0.05); 46 patients in the DCB group and stent group had imaging followe-up for 6 months: the restenosis rate was 8.0% (2/25) and 23.8% (5/21), respectively, without significant difference ( P>0.05). Conclusion:DCB angioplasty is comparable in efficacy and safety with self-expanding stenting in symptomatic MCAS.