AIM: To explore the factors associated with significant corneal astigmatism during the perioperative period in patients with pterygium. METHODS: Patients with primary pterygium presenting at Shanxi Eye Hospital between February and June 2025 were enrolled. All patients underwent medical history collection. Pre- and postoperative data were obtained using Pentacam, anterior segment photography, Image J software, and anterior segment optical coherence tomography(AS-OCT). All patients underwent pterygium excision combined with autologous bulbar conjunctival flap transplantation under local infiltration anesthesia. RESULTS: A total of 76 patients(76 eyes)with pterygium were finally enrolled(30 males, 46 females)with a mean age of 62.2±8.2 y. The mean length of corneal invasion by pterygium was 3.61±0.89 mm, the mean depth of invasion into the anterior corneal surface was 0.15±0.09 mm, and the median area of corneal invasion was 10.25(6.90, 18.75)mm2. The median preoperative corneal astigmatism was 1.50(0.70, 5.45)D. Median astigmatism was 0.8(0.40, 1.28)D at 2 wk postoperatively and 0.60(0.30, 1.15)D at 1 mo postoperatively. Patient age showed a positive correlation with preoperative astigmatism, and with residual astigmatism at 2 wk and 1 mo postoperatively(all P<0.05). The length of corneal invasion was positively correlated with preoperative astigmatism and residual astigmatism at both postoperative timepoints(P<0.01). The depth of invasion showed no significant linear correlation with astigmatism at any stage(P=0.250, 0.761, 0.686). The area of corneal invasion was positively correlated with astigmatism at all stages(P<0.01). Patients were grouped based on significant astigmatism(≥1.0 D)and non-significant astigmatism(<1.0 D), after adjusting for other variables, age(P=0.031)and the area of corneal invasion(P=0.004)were identified as risk factors for significant astigmatism. Pterygium invasion length was not significant factors(P>0.05). Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)analysis showed the highest area under the curve(AUC)for the invasion area(AUC=0.915). CONCLUSION: Significant preoperative corneal astigmatism in pterygium patients is correlated with patient age, the length of corneal invasion, and the area of invasion. The area of pterygium invasion into the cornea is the strongest predictor of significant preoperative corneal astigmatism.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the neuroprotective effect and mechanism of eleutheroside B （ELB） on Parkinson’s disease （PD） model mice by regulating the IκB kinase β （IKKβ）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway. METHODS Fifty mice were randomly divided into normal control group， model group， positive control group （selegiline hydrochloride， 10 mg/kg）， and ELB low-dose and high-dose groups （80， 160 mg/kg）， with 10 mice in each group. Each group was given relevant medicine or normal saline intragastrically for 14 consecutive days. Starting from the 10th day of administration， the model group and all administration groups were intraperitoneally injected with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1，2，3，6-tetrahydropyridine （MPTP） 30 mg/kg， for five consecutive days to establish the chronic PD model. After the last administration for 24 h， six mice were randomly selected from each group to test their behavioral abilities； detect the levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， IL-10， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in brain tissue and their mRNA expressions were measured， and positive expression of tyrosine hydroxylase （TH）， protein expressions of TH， α -synuclein （ α -syn）， ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 （Iba-1）， as well as phosphorylation levels of IKKβ and NF-κB p65 proteins in the brain tissue were detected. The ultrastructure of neurons in substantia nigra was observed. RESULTS Compared with the model group， rotarod endurance time and climbing score of each administration group （except for the ELB low-dose group） were increased significantly （ P ＜0.05）， while the levels and mRNA expressions of IL-1β， TNF-α， α -syn， and Iba-1， as well as phosphorylation levels of IKKβ and NF-κB p65 proteins in brain tissue were decreased significantly （except for TNF-α in the ELB low-dose group）. Conversely， the level and mRNA expression of IL-10 （except for the ELB low-dose group）， TH positive expression and protein expressions were significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）. Typical neurodegenerative pathological changes， such as neuronal karyopyknosis， mitochondrial swelling and vacuolization， and endoplasmic reticulum dilation， all showed varying degrees of improvement. CONCLUSIONS ELB may exert neuroprotective effects by inhibiting the activation of the IKKβ/NF-κB signaling pathway， alleviating inflammatory responses， reducing abnormal α -syn aggregation and neuronal loss， and further improving motor dysfunction in PD mice.

BACKGROUND:Although previous studies have reported associations between lipids and the risk of osteoporotic pathological fractures,the specific causal relationships between lipid level and osteoporotic pathological fractures remain unclear.OBJECTIVE:To elucidate the causal relationship between lipids and osteoporotic pathological fractures using a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis.METHODS:The data for 178 lipid metabolites were obtained from the IEU-GWAS database(developed by the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol,UK,which provides extensive summary data from genome-wide association studies),while osteoporotic pathological fracture data(from 173 619 European participants)were acquired from the FinnGen database(constructed by the Finnish national gene research program,focusing on investigating relationships between genomics and health/disease in the Finnish population).Osteoporotic pathological fracture data were used as the outcome variable,with lipids serving as exposures,for the bidirectional Mendelian randomization study to evaluate the causal effects of different lipids on osteoporotic pathological fractures.The UK Biobank database was employed as a validation set by switching the outcome variable to verify the findings horizontally.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The inverse variance weighted analysis indicated that each unit increase in sterol ester(27∶1/20∶2)levels was associated with a 25.55％increase in the risk of osteoporotic pathological fractures(odds ratio=1.256,95％confidence interval:1.001-1.575,P=0.049),suggesting a significant positive correlation between elevated sterol ester levels and increased fracture risk.Reverse Mendelian randomization analysis revealed a significant negative association between osteoporotic pathological fractures and three types of phosphatidylcholine.Horizontal validation yielded consistent results,confirming sterol ester as a risk factor for osteoporotic pathological fractures.(2)The results indicate that sterol ester is a risk factor for osteoporotic pathological fractures,while phosphatidylcholine serves as a protective factor.These findings strengthen the evidence supporting the effect of lipids on the risk of osteoporotic pathological fractures.Although the GWAS data used in this study were derived from European populations,given the broad commonality of human genetics,the results provide valuable reference significance for improving osteoporosis in Chinese populations through lipid regulation.

BACKGROUND:Although previous studies have reported associations between lipids and the risk of osteoporotic pathological fractures,the specific causal relationships between lipid level and osteoporotic pathological fractures remain unclear.OBJECTIVE:To elucidate the causal relationship between lipids and osteoporotic pathological fractures using a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis.METHODS:The data for 178 lipid metabolites were obtained from the IEU-GWAS database(developed by the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol,UK,which provides extensive summary data from genome-wide association studies),while osteoporotic pathological fracture data(from 173 619 European participants)were acquired from the FinnGen database(constructed by the Finnish national gene research program,focusing on investigating relationships between genomics and health/disease in the Finnish population).Osteoporotic pathological fracture data were used as the outcome variable,with lipids serving as exposures,for the bidirectional Mendelian randomization study to evaluate the causal effects of different lipids on osteoporotic pathological fractures.The UK Biobank database was employed as a validation set by switching the outcome variable to verify the findings horizontally.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The inverse variance weighted analysis indicated that each unit increase in sterol ester(27∶1/20∶2)levels was associated with a 25.55％increase in the risk of osteoporotic pathological fractures(odds ratio=1.256,95％confidence interval:1.001-1.575,P=0.049),suggesting a significant positive correlation between elevated sterol ester levels and increased fracture risk.Reverse Mendelian randomization analysis revealed a significant negative association between osteoporotic pathological fractures and three types of phosphatidylcholine.Horizontal validation yielded consistent results,confirming sterol ester as a risk factor for osteoporotic pathological fractures.(2)The results indicate that sterol ester is a risk factor for osteoporotic pathological fractures,while phosphatidylcholine serves as a protective factor.These findings strengthen the evidence supporting the effect of lipids on the risk of osteoporotic pathological fractures.Although the GWAS data used in this study were derived from European populations,given the broad commonality of human genetics,the results provide valuable reference significance for improving osteoporosis in Chinese populations through lipid regulation.

ObjectiveThe present study aimed to investigate alterations in white matter microstructure and spontaneous neural activity in male college smokers, and to further explore their associations with nicotine dependence. Given that adolescence and early adulthood represent critical periods for brain maturation, particularly for white matter development, understanding the neural correlates of smoking behavior during this stage is of substantial importance for both neuroscience and public health. MethodsA total of 115 male undergraduate students were initially recruited for this study. After quality control and exclusion procedures, 52 male college smokers and 42 demographically matched healthy non-smokers were included in the final analysis. All participants underwent multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). White matter fiber tracts were reconstructed using the automated fiber quantification (AFQ) method, which enables precise identification and quantification of major fiber bundles. Eighteen major white matter tracts were segmented for each participant. Along the core trajectory of each tract, 100 equidistant nodes were sampled. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was calculated at each node to assess white matter microstructural integrity, while amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was computed to evaluate spontaneous neural activity within white matter tracts. Between-group differences in FA and ALFF were assessed using two-sample t-tests, with appropriate corrections applied for multiple comparisons. Furthermore, Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between imaging-derived metrics (FA and ALFF values in regions showing significant group differences) and nicotine dependence severity, as measured by the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND). ResultsCompared with healthy non-smokers, male college smokers exhibited significantly increased FA values in several white matter tracts, including the left thalamic radiation, right corticospinal tract, forceps major of the corpus callosum, left uncinate fasciculus, and right arcuate fasciculus. These findings suggest altered microstructural organization or increased directional coherence within these pathways. In addition, smokers demonstrated significantly elevated ALFF values in the forceps major, right uncinate fasciculus, and left arcuate fasciculus, indicating enhanced spontaneous neural activity in these white matter regions. Correlation analyses revealed that FA values in the left thalamic radiation and right corticospinal tract were negatively correlated with FTND scores, suggesting that higher levels of nicotine dependence were associated with reduced microstructural integrity or altered fiber organization in these regions. In contrast, ALFF values in the forceps major and right uncinate fasciculus were positively correlated with FTND scores, indicating that greater nicotine dependence was associated with increased spontaneous neural activity in specific white matter pathways. ConclusionThe present study provides evidence that male college smokers exhibit distinct alterations in both white matter microstructure and functional activity. These abnormalities are not uniformly distributed but rather localized to specific fiber tracts implicated in sensorimotor processing, interhemispheric communication, and higher-order cognitive and emotional regulation. Importantly, the observed associations between imaging metrics and nicotine dependence severity suggest that these structural and functional alterations may reflect neurobiological mechanisms underlying addiction. The combination of AFQ-based tract profiling and multimodal MRI offers a sensitive approach for detecting subtle changes along white matter pathways, highlighting its potential utility in identifying neuroimaging biomarkers of nicotine dependence. Overall, these findings indicate that smoking during early adulthood may disrupt ongoing white matter maturation, potentially leading to long-term consequences for brain function. This study provides novel insights into the neural basis of nicotine dependence and underscores the importance of early intervention and prevention strategies targeting young smokers.

In this study, there were three toxoplasmosis patients, two of whom developed symptoms in both eyes. One patient had a slight deviation of the lesion from the central fovea, which had a minor impact on vision. The diagnosis of this disease requires not only a close pet contact history and typical clinical manifestations, but also serology and the gold standard Goldmann-Witmer coefficient(GWC). However, the GWC of some patients cannot be detected at the initial stage, such as the first patient′s GWC, which did not meet the standard. All three patients underwent metagenomic testing to assist with diagnosis.

ObjectiveTo conduct sarcopenia-related screening and assessment among community-dwelling elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Changning District of Shanghai, to analyze the current status and influencing factors of suspected sarcopenia in this population, and to provide references for the early prevention and treatment of sarcopenia. MethodsUsing a stratified random sampling method, elderly T2DM patients under management in the Chronic Disease Health Management System of Changning District in Shanghai were selected as the study subjects. Patients were screened for sarcopenia and underwent related health examinations according to the Chinese Expert Consensus on Diagnosis and Treatment of Sarcopenia in the Elderly (2021). Self-designed questionnaires were used to collect basic information, lifestyle habits and health status, and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was employed to evaluate cognitive function. ResultsAmong 758 elderly patients with T2DM [average age: (72.19±6.19) years old], 214 patients were identified as having suspected sarcopenia,accounting for 28.23%. The proportion of suspected sarcopenia was higher in females (30.94%) than in males (24.08%) (χ²=4.20, P=0.040), and higher in older patients (χ²=22.26, P<0.001). Higher proportions of suspected sarcopenia were also observed among patients who followed a vegetarian diet (39.77%) (χ²=73.28, P=0.011), had diabetic foot (59.09%) (χ²=10.65, P=0.001), reported feeling fatigued most of the time (37.11%) (χ²=4.33, P=0.037), or had mild cognitive impairment (χ²=3.95, P=0.047). The duration of T2DM in the suspected sarcopenia group [(12.86±10.07) years old] was longer than that in the non-sarcopenia group [(9.73±8.63) years old] (t=3.79, P<0.001), and the average body mass index (BMI) in the suspected sarcopenia group [(22.17±2.45) kg⋅m^-²)] was lower than that in the non-sarcopenia group [(25.11±3.26) kg⋅m^-²)] (t=-11.41, P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that older age (OR=1.08, 95%CI:1.047‒1.110) and longer duration of T2DM (OR=1.02, 95%CI:1.005‒1.043) were associated with a higher risk of suspected sarcopenia in elderly T2DM patients. Female elderly T2DM patients had a higher risk of suspected sarcopenia (OR=1.89, 95%CI:1.310‒2.733) than males, and those with diabetic foot (OR=3.66, 95%CI:1.341‒9.990) had a higher risk than those without diabetic foot. ConclusionThe proportion of elderly T2DM patients with suspected sarcopenia was relatively high. In community-based integrated health management, healthcare providers should pay more attention to elderly T2DM patients who are older, have longer disease duration, are female, or have diabetic foot, so as to identify risks early and implement targeted comprehensive interventions and health management.

Background Kurtosis reflecting noise's temporal structure is an effective metric for evaluating noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), and its threshold is still unclear. Objective To explore the energy range of kurtosis and the threshold of NIHL induced by kurtosis in this energy rangeMethods Using cross-sectional design, 4631 noise-exposed workers in manufacturing industry were selected. The hearing loss and noise exposure data of each worker were collected. Logistic regression model was used to establish the dose-response relationship between noise exposure and hearing loss and estimate the range of energy effects. Restricted cubic spline model was utilized to analyze the dose-response relationship curves of kurtosis to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHI) and high-frequency noise-induced hearing loss (HFNIHL) under different 8 h equivalent sound levels (L_{EX,8 h}), as well as to estimate the kurtosis effect threshold. Results The logistic regression model analysis showed that the prevalence of NIHI and HFNIHL increased significantly with increase of L_{EX,8 h} for steady noise; when L_{EX,8 h} of non-steady noise was 80-100 dB(A), the risk of hearing loss increased with an increase in kurtosis (P<0.05). The restricted cubic spline model showed that when L_{EX,8 h} of non-steady noise was 0-80 dB(A) or >100 dB(A), there was no significant relationship between kurtosis and NIHI or HFNIHL. When L_{EX,8 h} was 80-100 dB(A), there was a significant nonlinear dose-response relationship between kurtosis and NIHL or HFNIHL (P <0.001), and kurtosis > 28.08 exerted effect in elevating NIHI or HFNIHL. Conclusion The effect threshold of kurtosis on NIHL is 28.08 when non-steady noise levels are in the range of 80-100 dB(A). The effect threshold of kurtosis needs further verification.

Objective To explore the medication rules of Professor Hua Baojin in the treatment of subsolid pulmonary nodules through retrospective analysis and data mining techniques. Methods The prescriptions of patients with subsolid pulmonary nodules who were diagnosed and treated by Professor Hua Baojin at Guang’anmen Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2024 were retrospectively collected. Data were imported into the Ancient and Modern Medical Case Cloud Platform for analysis of drug frequency, four natures and five flavors, meridian tropism, drug association, and hierarchical clustering. Results A total of 455 prescriptions were included, containing 205 kinds of traditional Chinese medicines, with a total frequency of 12048 times. Fifty-seven commonly used drugs were screened out, among which drugs with high frequencies included astragalus membranaceus (raw) and hawthorn fruit (charred). The nature of the drugs was mainly warm, cold, and neutral. The flavor of the drugs was mostly sweet, bitter, and pungent. The meridians they belonged to mainly included the lung, spleen, and liver meridians. Their efficacy was mainly tonifying deficiency, clearing heat, resolving phlegm, and relieving cough and asthma. Association analysis obtained 19 pairs of drug combinations, 21 groups of three-drug combinations, and four groups of four-drug combinations. Hierarchical clustering obtained 10 groups of drug combinations. Conclusion On the basis of the core pathogenesis of subsolid pulmonary nodule, Professor Hua applies the theory of regulating qi and detoxifying; regulating the qi of the liver, spleen, and lung; and detoxifying the toxins of phlegm and blood stasis, providing valuable experience for the clinical treatment of SSN.

T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP) is one of the simplest known RNA polymerases. Its unique structural features make it a critical model for studying the mechanisms of RNA synthesis. This review systematically examines the static crystal structure of T7 RNAP, beginning with an in-depth examination of its characteristic “thumb”, “palm”, and “finger” domains, which form the classic “right-hand-like” architecture. By detailing these structural elements, this review establishes a foundation for understanding the overall organization of T7 RNAP. This review systematically maps the functional roles of secondary structural elements and their subdomains in transcriptional catalysis, progressively elucidating the fundamental relationships between structure and function. Further, the intrinsic flexibility of T7 RNAP and its applications in research are also discussed. Additionally, the review presents the structural diagrams of the enzyme at different stages of the transcription process, and through these diagrams, it provides a detailed description of the complete transcription process of T7 RNAP. By integrating structural dynamics and kinetics analyses, the review constructs a comprehensive framework that bridges static structure to dynamic processes. Despite its advantages, T7 RNAP has a notable limitation: it generates double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as a byproduct. The presence of dsRNA not only compromises the purity of mRNA products but also elicits nonspecific immune responses, which pose significant challenges for biotechnological and therapeutic applications. The review provides a detailed exploration of the mechanisms underlying dsRNA formation during T7 RNAP catalysis, reviews current strategies to mitigate this issue, and highlights recent progress in the field. A key focus is the semi-rational design of T7 RNAP mutants engineered to minimize dsRNA generation and enhance catalytic performance. Beyond its role in transcription, T7 RNAP exhibits rapid development and extensive application in fields, including gene editing, biosensing, and mRNA vaccines. This review systematically examines the structure-function relationships of T7 RNAP, elucidates the mechanisms of dsRNA formation, and discusses engineering strategies to optimize its performance. It further explores the engineering optimization and functional expansion of T7 RNAP. Furthermore, this review also addresses the pressing issues that currently need resolution, discusses the major challenges in the practical application of T7 RNAP, and provides an outlook on potential future research directions. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of T7 RNAP, ranging from its structural architecture to cutting-edge applications. We systematically examine: (1) the characteristic right-hand domains (thumb, palm, fingers) that define its minimalistic structure; (2) the structure-function relationships underlying transcriptional catalysis; and (3) the dynamic transitions during the complete transcription cycle. While highlighting T7 RNAP’s versatility in gene editing, biosensing, and mRNA vaccine production, we critically address its major limitation—dsRNA byproduct formation—and evaluate engineering solutions including semi-rationally designed mutants. By synthesizing current knowledge and identifying key challenges, this work aims to provide novel insights for the development and application of T7 RNAP and to foster further thought and progress in related fields.