Meniere’s disease (MD) is an inner ear disorder characterized by recurrent vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness. The pathogenesis of MD remains unclear but is closely associated with endolymphatic hydrops (EH), immune dysregulation, genetic predisposition, vascular dysfunction, and viral infection. This review summarizes recent research advances of MD pathogenesis, suggesting that MD may be a heterogeneous condition with distinct subtypes driven by different mechanisms. Future studies should integrate multi-omics analyses and animal models to elucidate its molecular pathways.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of nystagmus during the Dix-Hallpike and Roll tests in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) using three-dimensional videonystagmography (3D-VNG), in order to to optimize diagnostic and therapeutic strategies of BPPV. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 68 patients with posterior semicircular canal (PSC)-BPPV and 26 patients with horizontal semicircular canal (HSC)-BPPV. Nystagmus data obtained from 3D-VNG were reviewed for all patients, with a focus on the eye movement components during the Dix-Hallpike test in PSC-BPPV patients and the Roll test in HSC-BPPV patients. The direction and reversal rates of the vertical, horizontal, and torsional components were recorded and analyzed. Results All PSC-BPPV patients exhibited highly consistent three-dimensional nystagmus characteristics during the Dix-Hallpike test: vertical nystagmus was uniformly upward, torsional nystagmus was predominantly clockwise in left-side BPPV patients (17/23) and counterclockwise in right-side BPPV patients (44/45), while the horizontal component was mostly directed contralaterally (50/68); upon transitioning from the head-hanging to the sit-up position, vertical nystagmus components in all patients reversed, and torsional and horizontal nystagmus components reversed in approximately 50.0% or more patients. Among HSC-BPPV patients, right-side BPPV patients all showed right-beating (geotropic) horizontal nystagmus with predominantly upward vertical component (16/19), while most left-side BPPV patients showed left-beating horizontal nystagmus (6/7) with predominantly downward vertical component (6/7). During head rotation toward the healthy side, most (25/26) HSC-BPPV patients exhibited a reversal in the horizontal nystagmus direction, reduced intensity compared to the affected side, with a reversal in vertical components in 3 patients, and atypical torsional components. Conclusions 3D-VNG could precisely quantitative analyze three-dimensional features of nystagmus in BPPV patients, improve diagnostic accuracy in canal and side localization, particularly in PSC-BPPV patients.

Objective To evaluate the value of an optimized three-dimensional inversion-recovery with real reconstruction (3D-real IR) sequence with a longer repetition time (TR, 16 000 ms) based on modulated flip angle technique in refocused imaging with extended echo train (MATRIX) in the endolymphatic hydrops (EH) imaging after intratympanic gadolinium (Gd) administration, and to compare it with a conventional 3D-real IR based on the turbo spin echo (TSE) sequence. Methods From July 2021 to November 2022, twenty-seven patients received both the conventional and optimized 3D-real IR sequences after bilateral intratympanic Gd administration. Images of the two sequences were qualitativly evaluated and compared. Contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and area ratio of endolymph against the total lymphatic space from the two sequences were measured and compared. Results 14(25.9%) ears with insufficient contrast for the EH diagnosis on the conventional sequence were clearly displayed on the optimized sequence. Image score, CNR and SNR of the optimized sequence were significantly higher than those of the conventional sequence (P ＜ 0.001). The scanning time of two sequences was similar. The area ratio of endolymph against the total lymphatic space in the cochlear was significantly higher on the conventional 3D-real IR than that on the optimized 3D-real IR (P ＜ 0.001); there was no statistical difference in the vestibule between the two sequences. Conclusions Compared with conventional sequence, optimized 3D-real IR sequence with a longer TR may be better for evaluation of EH after intratympanic Gd administration.

Objective To investigate the value of artificial intelligence-assisted compressed sensing (ACS) technology for intravenous gadolinium contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ear using three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (3D-FLAIR) sequence. Methods The patients received gadolinium contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging using ACS and united compressed sensing (uCS) 3D-FLAIR at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from January to November 2024 were prospectively enrolled. The repetition time was 16 000 ms, and acquisition time was 6 min 40 s and 10 min 24 s in ACS 3D-FLAIR and uCS 3D-FLAIR, respectively. The images on the two sequences were evaluated independently by two radiologists. The image quality of the two sequences was subjectively evaluated and compared. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were compared between the two sequences. The grading consistencies using two sequences and between the two doctors were analyzed. Results There was no statistically difference in subjective score of image quality between the two sequences. SNR and CNR of the ACS 3D-FLAIR sequence were significantly higher than those of the uCS 3D-FLAIR sequence (P＜0.001). The kappa values of grades of cochlear and vestibular endolymphatic hydrops were 0.942 and 0.888 using two sequences (P＜0.001). The kappa values of grades of cochlear and vestibular endolymphatic hydrops using the ACS 3D-FLAIR sequence between the two doctors were 0.784 and 0.831, respectively (P＜0.001); the kappa values of grades of cochlear and vestibular endolymphatic hydrops using uCS 3D-FLAIR sequence between the two doctors were 0.725 and 0.756, respectively (P＜0.001). Conclusions ACS 3D-FLAIR could provide higher SNR and CNR than uCS 3D-FLAIR, and is more suitable for intravenous gadolinium contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ear; the endolymphatic hydrops grades using ACS 3D-FLAIR is similar to use uCS 3D-FLAIR.

The intestinal flora and its metabolites are closely bound up with the metabolism and immune function of human body and at the meantime affect the metabolisms of nutrients and drugs,which play an important role in maintaining the physiological function.As the largest reservoir of microorganisms within the human body,the intestinal flora play a vital role in maintaining the health.Numerous studies have shown that the alteration of intestinal flora may not only affect the emergence of gastrointestinal diseases but also has impact on the common diseases of multiple systems,it may mediate the emergence and development of relevant diseases through gut-kid-ney axis,gut-liver axis,and gut-brain axis,and interact with the diseases.As a traditional Chinese medicine ex-ternal therapy,the traditional Chinese medicine enema therapy has remarkable advantages in treatment of various clinical diseases and shows significant effect on improvement of intestinal flora imbalance during the disease pro-gression.The effect of the traditional Chinese medicine enema therapy on improving the intestinal flora imbalance of the patients during the process of emergence and development of the common diseases is reviewed in the article.

The intestinal flora and its metabolites are closely bound up with the metabolism and immune function of human body and at the meantime affect the metabolisms of nutrients and drugs,which play an important role in maintaining the physiological function.As the largest reservoir of microorganisms within the human body,the intestinal flora play a vital role in maintaining the health.Numerous studies have shown that the alteration of intestinal flora may not only affect the emergence of gastrointestinal diseases but also has impact on the common diseases of multiple systems,it may mediate the emergence and development of relevant diseases through gut-kid-ney axis,gut-liver axis,and gut-brain axis,and interact with the diseases.As a traditional Chinese medicine ex-ternal therapy,the traditional Chinese medicine enema therapy has remarkable advantages in treatment of various clinical diseases and shows significant effect on improvement of intestinal flora imbalance during the disease pro-gression.The effect of the traditional Chinese medicine enema therapy on improving the intestinal flora imbalance of the patients during the process of emergence and development of the common diseases is reviewed in the article.

Sepsis-induced lung injury is a common type of sepsis complicated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome,whose uncontrolled inflammatory response and oxidative stress are the key pathological mechanisms.As an important pathway of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress,the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)signaling pathway is very important in the occurrence and development of sepsis-induced lung injury.This review summarizes relevant research conducted over the past decade on the regulation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway by traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)to ameliorate sepsis-induced lung injury.It has been found that 14 kinds of TCM effective ingredients(including five types of compounds:flavonoids,terpenes,alkaloids,saponins,phenols)and 6 kinds of compound preparations(including three types of formulas:heat-clearing and detoxifying formulas,purgative formulas for promoting bowel movement,and formulas for reinforcing vital qi and consolidating the constitution)can inhibit inflammatory responses and oxidative stress by activating Nrf2 signaling pathway and intervening in related pathways such as those involving Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1,heme oxygenase-1,antioxidant response element and AMP-activated protein kinase,thereby alleviating sepsis-induced lung injury.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of hearing loss caused by tympanic membrane(TM)per-foration.Methods We constructed a full ear finite element model,and the personalized finite element model of TM perforation was constructed to simulate hearing loss caused by TM perforation.The difference between the displace-ment response of the basement membrane and the baseline was applied to simulate hearing loss,and the contribution of various components of the middle ear to hearing loss was analyzed to study the mechanism of hearing loss caused by TM perforation.Results If the coupling of the round window membrane and the middle ear air was removed,the hearing loss at the low frequency was about 40 dB,while the high-frequency was the same as the baseline.Re-moval of the coupling between the inner side of the eardrum and the middle ear cavity resulted in a reduction in par-tial low-frequency hearing and an increase in high-frequency hearing loss.The continuous disconnection between the air in the external auditory canal and the air in the middle ear cavity increased the low-frequency hearing loss.How-ever,after the removal of the coupling between the round window membrane and the middle ear air and the connec-tion between the middle ear air and the lateral side of the TM,the original hearing loss of 40 dB at low-frequency dropped to 10 dB.While the removal of the coupling between the middle ear cavity air and the ossicular chain had no significant impact on hearing loss.Conclusion TM perforation may cause hearing loss by both the reduction of sound transmission and the reduction of sound pressure difference between the two sides of TM.The round window membrane can counteract the influence of the hearing loss caused by TM perforation.

Background::Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is a fatal cardiovascular disease, the pathogenesis of which has not yet been clarified. This study aimed to identify and validate the diagnostic markers of TAA to provide a strong theoretical basis for developing new methods to prevent and treat this disease.Methods::Gene expression profiles of the GSE9106, GSE26155, and GSE155468 datasets were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using the "limma" package in R. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE), random forest, and binary logistic regression analyses were used to screen the diagnostic marker genes. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was used to estimate immune cell infiltration in TAA.Results::A total of 16 DEGs were identified. The enrichment and functional correlation analyses showed that DEGs were mainly associated with inflammatory response pathways and collagen-related diseases. Collagen type I alpha 1 chain ( COL1A1) and synaptotagmin like 2 ( SYTL2) were identified as diagnostic marker genes with a high diagnostic value for TAA. The expression of COL1A1 and SYTL2 was considerably higher in TAA vascular wall tissues than in the corresponding normal tissues, and there were significant differences in the infiltration of immune cells between TAA and normal vascular wall tissues. Additionally, COL1A1 and SYTL2 expression were associated with the infiltration of immune cells in the vascular wall tissue. Single-cell analysis showed that COL1A1 in TAA was mainly derived from fibroblasts and SYTL2 mainly from cluster of differentiation (CD)8 + T cells. In addition, single-cell analysis indicated that fibroblasts and CD8 + T cells in TAA were significantly higher than those in normal arterial wall tissue. Conclusions::COL1A1 and SYTL2 may serve as diagnostic marker genes for TAA. The upregulation of SYTL2 and COL1A1 may be involved in the inflammatory infiltration of the vessel wall and poor extracellular matrix remodeling, promoting the progression of TAA.

Currently, the treatment strategy for iliac venous thromboembolic disease has evolved from early approaches such as simple anticoagulation therapy, surgical thrombectomy, and venous return improvement to encompass multiple minimally invasive modalities including pharmacologic thrombolysis, catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT), and mechanical thrombectomy. These advancements have demonstrated enhanced therapeutic efficacy and safety profiles. With the diversification of treatment modalities, the therapeutic concepts for venous thromboembolism (VTE) continue to be updated, establishing higher standards for treatment outcomes and safety. This article explored recent progress in the management of iliac venous thromboembolic disease, aiming to clarify the roles and efficacy of various treatment approaches in clinical practice while providing evidence-based treatment recommendation for clinicians. We anticipated further standardization of diagnostic and therapeutic protocols, along with increased emphasis on preventive measures, to safeguard vascular health in the general population.