AIM: To investigate the differences in morphological structure and retinal blood perfusion between the affected eye and the contralateral healthy eye using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)in patients with idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane(IMEM)before and after surgery, and to evaluate the association of these parameters with functional and anatomical outcomes to inform prognostic assessment. METHODS:A prospective study was conducted at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital between January 2023 and December 2024. Consecutive patients diagnosed with unilateral IMEM were enrolled; the fellow eye served as an internal control. All participants underwent standardized ophthalmic evaluations, including optical coherence tomography(OCT), OCTA, and color fundus photography. Key quantitative parameters assessed included best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT), foveal avascular zone(FAZ)area, vessel density in the inner capillary plexus(ICP), superficial capillary plexus(SCP), deep capillary plexus(DCP), and choroidal capillary perfusion area(CCPA). Measurements were obtained preoperatively and at 1 and 3 mo postoperatively. Correlation analyses were performed between the above parameters and postoperative BCVA and CMT.RESULTS: This study enrolled 30 patients(60 eyes)diagnosed with IMEM, comprising 14 males and 16 females, with a mean age of 65.4±10.8 y.At baseline, IMEM-affected eyes demonstrated significantly reduced BCVA, DCP density, and FAZ area, alongside significantly increased CMT and CCPA, compared with contralateral controls. Following vitrectomy with membrane peeling, CMT decreased significantly at both 1 and 3 mo(both P<0.05)postoperatively; DCP density and BCVA showed significant improvement(both P<0.05). No significant change in FAZ area was observed postoperatively(P>0.05). At 3 mo postoperatively, BCVA of the affected eye was negatively correlated with CMT(r=-0.549, P=0.022). At 1 mo postoperatively, CMT was negatively correlated with preoperative DCP and FAZ, positively correlated with preoperative CMT, and positively correlated with ICP and SCP at 1 mo postoperatively, and negatively correlated with FAZ at 1 mo postoperatively(all P<0.05). Furthermore, CMT at 3 mo postoperatively was negatively correlated with preoperative DCP(r=-0.498,P=0.042).CONCLUSION:In patients with IMEM, the affected eyes exhibit significantly reduced DCP density and FAZ area, alongside increased CMT and CCPA. Following vitrectomy with membrane peeling, CMT decreased progressively, DCP density demonstrated partial restoration, and vision improved gradually. Preoperatively, smaller CMT larger DCP, and FAZ were associated with more favorable surgical outcomes; postoperatively, smaller ICP and SCP densities—combined with a larger FAZ—also correlated with better functional recovery.

Jianghuanglian is one of the representative processed products of Coptidis Rhizoma for treating cold syndrome with drugs of heat nature， and ginger is used to restrict the bitter cold of Coptidis Rhizoma， which can be traced back to Bojifang， and it is suitable for stagnation of damp-heat in middle-jiao， cold-heat mutual knots and other symptoms. Jianghuanglian retains the alkaloids， phenylpropanoids and flavonoids of Coptidis Rhizoma， and also introduces gingerol components such as 6-gingerol in ginger， which has pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory， antibacterial， anti-tumor， and improving gastrointestinal function. The 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia and many local processing specifications have included the traditional processing process and quality standards of Jianghuanglian， but the specific process parameters and quality standards are incomplete， which limits the production and clinical application of this processed product. By summarizing the processing history， process research， quality evaluation， pharmacodynamic and medicinal property changes and application of Jianghuanglian in the past 20 years， there are differences in the processing methods and standards in various provinces and cities， which are mainly reflected in the preparation method， dosage， processing process and quantitative standards of ginger juice. In addition， there are also certain differences in the changes of the main components of Jianghuanglian prepared from ginger or dried ginger， as well as their efficacy and medicinal properties. The research on the processing process of Jianghuanglian plays an important role in improving its quality standards， and this review can provide a reference for improving the quality evaluation system of Jianghuanglian.

The patient was a boy aged 1 year and 9 months who presented with 46,XY disorder of sex development (DSD), with severe undermasculinization of the external genitalia. Laboratory tests and ultrasound examinations showed normal functions of Leydig cells and Sertoli cells in the testes. Genetic testing revealed a novel pathogenic heterozygous variant, c.1186dupA (p.T396Nfs*17), in the PPP1R12A gene. Thirteen cases of PPP1R12A gene variants have been reported previously. These variants may cause isolated involvement of the genitourinary or neurological systems, or affect other systems/organs including the digestive tract, eyes, heart, etc. Patients with DSD typically present with a 46,XY karyotype and variable degrees of undermasculinization involving the external genitalia, gonads, and reproductive tract. This article reports a child with 46,XY DSD accompanied by growth retardation caused by a heterozygous variant in the PPP1R12A gene, which expands the clinical disease spectrum associated with PPP1R12A gene variants.
Humans ; Male ; Infant ; Disorder of Sex Development, 46,XY/etiology* ; Protein Phosphatase 1/genetics*

Objective： The aim of this study is to explore the predictive value of biparametric magnetic resonance imaging(bpMRI)for pelvic lymph node metastasis in prostate cancer patients with PSA≤20 μg/L and establish a nomogram. Methods： The imaging data and clinical data of 363 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from July 2018 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to screen independent risk factors for pelvic lymph node metastasis in prostate cancer, and a nomogram of the clinical prediction model was established. Calibration curves were drawn to evaluate the accuracy of the model. Results： Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed extrocapusular extension (OR=8.08,95%CI=2.62－24.97, P<0.01), enlargement of pelvic lymph nodes (OR=4.45,95%CI=1.16－17.11,P=0.030), and biopsy ISUP grade(OR=1.97,95%CI=1.12－3.46, P=0.018)were independent risk factors for pelvic lymph node metastasis. The C-index of the prediction model was 0.834, which indicated that the model had a good prediction ability. The actual value of the model calibration curve and the prediction probability of the model fitted well, indicating that the model had a good accuracy. Further analysis of DCA curve showed that the model had good clinical application value when the risk threshold ranged from 0.05 to 0.70.Conclusion： For prostate cancer patients with PSA≤20 μg/L, bpMRI has a good predictive value for the pelvic lymph node metastasis of prostate cancer with extrocapusular extension, enlargement of pelvic lymph nodes and ISUP grade≥4.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Nomograms ; Prostate-Specific Antigen/blood* ; Lymph Nodes/pathology* ; Pelvis ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prostatectomy ; Lymph Node Excision ; Risk Factors ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Logistic Models ; Middle Aged ; Aged

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Yangxue Qingnao Pills (YXQNP) combined with amlodipine in treating patients with grade 1 hypertension. METHODS: This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study. Adult patients with grade 1 hypertension of blood deficiency and Gan (Liver)-yang hyperactivity syndrome were randomly divided into the treatment or the control groups at a 1:1 ratio. The treatment group received YXQNP and amlodipine besylate, while the control group received YXQNP's placebo and amlodipine besylate. The treatment duration lasted for 180 days. Outcomes assessed included changes in blood pressure, Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome scores, symptoms and target organ functions before and after treatment in both groups. Additionally, adverse events, such as nausea, vomiting, rash, itching, and diarrhea, were recorded in both groups. RESULTS: A total of 662 subjects were enrolled, of whom 608 (91.8%) completed the trial (306 in the treatment and 302 in the control groups). After 180 days of treatment, the standard deviations and coefficients of variation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were lower in the treatment group compared with the control group. The improvement rates of dizziness, headache, insomnia, and waist soreness were significantly higher in the treatment group compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 30 days of treatment, the overall therapeutic effects on CM clinical syndromes were significantly increased in the treatment group as compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 180 days of treatment, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, ankle brachial index and albumin-to-creatinine ratio were improved in both groups, with no statistically significant differences (P>0.05). No serious treatment-related adverse events occurred during the study period. CONCLUSIONS Combination therapy of YXQNP with amlodipine significantly improved symptoms such as dizziness and headache, reduced blood pressure variability, and showed a trend toward lowering urinary microalbumin in hypertensive patients. These findings suggest that this regimen has good clinical efficacy and safety. (Registration No. ChiCTR1900022470).
Humans ; Amlodipine/adverse effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Hypertension/complications* ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Adult ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Double-Blind Method ; Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents/adverse effects*

Objective To analyze the changes of intestinal microbiota in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and healthy controls so as to explore the relationship between intestinal microbiota and NAFLD.Methods A total of 353 samples from the National Center for Biotechnology Information were included,including 110 healthy controls and 243 NAFLD patients(127 NASH and 116 NAFLD).Macrogenome sequencing data were extracted to obtain data on intergroup flora diversity changes and analyze the potential correlation between alterations in gut microbes and NAFLD.Results Alpha diversity analysis showed no significant differences in Invsimpson index(P=0.57)or Simpson index(P=0.57)between NAFLD patients and healthy controls,while there was a trend of decreasing Shannon index(P=0.084),but with no significant difference.β-diversity analysis showed significant differences between the two groups(P=0.002).Species composition analysis showed that at the genus level,NAFLD patients and healthy controls had the same species types,with Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes being the dominant phyla in both groups.However,compared to Control group,NAFLD group had significantly lower Firmicutes,Synergistetes,and Candidatus_Melainabacteria.At the species level,there were significant differences between NAFLD group and Control group for 10 bacterial species,including Bacteroides_uniformis and Faecalbacterium_prausnitzil.Intergroup difference analysis showed that Phocaeicola dorei,Parabacteroides_distasonis,Bilophila_wadsworthia,and Dysosmobacter_welbionis were significantly enriched in NAFLD patients(LDA score＞2.0,P＜0.05),while Prevotella_stercorea,Faecalibacterium prausnitzii,and others were negatively associated with NAFLD.A disease detection model was constructed based on metagenomic data,and 26 intestinal microorganisms related to NAFLD were selected,including Pyramidobacter piscolens and Citrobacter freundii,etc.The diagnostic accuracy of NAFLD was judged by ROC curve discriminant model,and the AUC of the ROC curve was 0.743 8,indicating that the model has a certain accuracy in diagnosing NAFLD.Conclusion This study revealed differences in gut microbial diversity between NAFLD patients and healthy controls and identified key bacterial groups associated with NAFLD.In addition,the disease detection model constructed based on metagenomic data provides a new method and idea for the diagnosis of NAFLD,which is conducive to further study of the disease and the early diagnosis and treatment of clinical patients.

Objective:To investigate the effects of wheat-grain moxibustion at the Guanyuan point on testosterone(T)synthe-sis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal(HPG)axis in naturally aged mice.Methods:We fed 40 twelve-month-old SPF male C57BL/6J mice with a normal diet for 3 months,randomized them into a moxibustion and an aged group of an equal number,and se-lected 7 four-month-old ones as young controls.We treated the animals of the moxibustion group by wheat-grain moxibustion at the Guanyuan point,once 5 moxibustion sticks,qd,5 times a week,and fed those of the aged group normally,all for 12 weeks.After treatment,we obtained the testicular index of the mice,observed the histomorphology of the testis tissue by HE staining,measured the contents of T in the testis,gonadotropin-releasing hormone(GnRH)in the hypothalamus and total T(tT),free T(fT),luteinizing hormone(LH)and follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH)in the serum by ELISA,and determined the expressions of silence information regulator-1(SIRT1),P53,glutathione peroxidase(GPX4)and cholesterol side-chain?cleavage enzym e(CYP11A1)in the testis by Western blot.Results:Compared with the young controls,the mice in the aged group showed obviously losing and dull hair,energy declination,loose structure of the spermatogenic tubule with different degrees of cell loss and rupture,reduced testicular index,and ev-ident aging phenotype.In comparison with the aged mice,the animals of the moxibustion group were fairly energetic and exhibited dis-tinct structure of the spermatogenic tubules,orderly arranged and highly differentiated cells at all levels,significantly increased T lev-el,up-regulated expressions of SIRT1,GPX4 and CYP11 A1,and down-regulated expression of P53 in testis tissue,and elevated levels of GnRH,FSH,LH,tT and fT in the HPG axis.Conclusion:Wheat-grain moxibustion at the Guanyuan point protects testosterone synthesis in the testis tissue of naturally aged mice,promotes negative feedback regulation of the HPG axis,and improves low testoster-one.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of proximal femoral reconstruction osteotomy (PFRO) in hip revision arthroplasty.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted of the 92 patients (93 hips) who had undergone PFRO in hip revision arthroplasty at Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China from January 2019 to December 2023. The cohort included 50 males (51 hips) and 42 females (42 hips), with an age of (64.5±11.7) years and a body mass index of (23.7±2.9) kg/m 2. Surgical procedures were performed under general anesthesia via a posterolateral approach. Biologic prostheses were used in femoral reconstruction, and PFRO fragments repositioned and fixed using cerclage wires. The data collected were operative time, intraoperative blood loss, length of osteotomy fragments, healing at the osteotomy site, intraoperative and follow-up complications, as well as Harris hip score (HHS) and leg length discrepancy (LLD) at the last follow-up. Results:For this cohort, operative time was (174.9±45.6) minutes, intraoperative blood loss (594.6±206.6) mL, and length of osteotomy fragments (12.3±2.3) mm. The 92 patients were followed up for (35.8±12.3) months. For them, HHS improved from preoperative (38.3±8.5) points to (80.5±12.8) points at the last follow-up, and LLD decreased from preoperative (21.2±13.0) mm to 2.0(0.0, 5.0) mm at the last follow-up, showing significant differences ( P<0.05). The osteotomy sites healed in 89 cases (90 hips), with a displacement of the greater trochanter <5 mm; 3 cases (3 hips) experienced nonunion with wire loosening and a displacement of the greater trochanter >10 mm. The osteotomy fragment of the greater trochanter got fractured in 2 patients (2 hips) and a fracture of the medial cortex of the proximal femur occurred in 11 patients (11 hips), but follow-ups observed healing of all the fractures. One patient (1 hip) developed postoperative posterior dislocation of the hip which was treated conservatively. One patient (1 hip) developed postoperative periprosthetic infection which did not recur after twice of debridement followed by prosthetic revision of the proximal femoral tumor. Conclusion:In hip revision arthroplasty, as PFRO demonstrates a low incidence of fragment fractures of the greater trochanter and a high rate of healing at the osteotomy site, its short-term clinical outcomes are satisfactory.

Objective:To investigate the incidence and influencing factors of optic disc changes in children and adolescents with high myopia.Methods:A clinical cross-sectional study. A total of 162 children and adolescents with high myopia (162 eyes) who visited Department of Ophthalmology, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University from January to April 2025 were included in this study. Myopia refractive error ≥6.00 D and/or axial length (AL) ≥26 mm. All participants underwent best-corrected visual acuity, refraction, fundus color photography, swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT), and AL measurement. Subfoveal choroidal thickness (ChT) was measured within 1 mm using SS-OCT. Optic disc changes assessed included tilt, rotation, peripapillary atrophy (PPA), and peripapillary hyperreflective ovoid mass-like structures (PHOMS). The patients were divided into the children group (4-11 years old) and the adolescents group (12-18 years old) based on age, with 63 (38.9%, 63/162) and 99 (61.1%, 99/162) cases respectively. The incidence of ocular features and optic disc morphology changes in the two groups was compared and observed. According to the myopia diopter, the patients were divided into the high diopter long axial group (myopia diopter ≥6.00 D, AL≥26 mm) and the low diopter long axial group (myopia diopter <6.00 D, AL≥26 mm), with 85 (52.5%, 85/162) and 77 (47.5%, 77/162) eyes respectively. The incidence of optic disc morphological changes in the two groups was compared and observed. The comparison of quantitative data between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the correlations between PPA, optic disc tilt, PHOMS occurrence and gender, age, diopter, AL, and ChT. Results:Among the 162 patients, 103 were male and 59 were female. Age was 12 (10.5, 13.5) years old. Among the 162 eyes, the optic disc morphology changed in 152 eyes (93.8%, 152/162). Among them, the PPA, optic disc tilt, PHOMS, and optic disc rotation were 148 (91.4%, 148/162), 95 (58.6%, 95/162), 62 (38.3%, 62/162), and 35 (21.6%, 35/162) eyes respectively. Myopic macular degeneration in 137 eyes. There were 56 eyes with peripheral retinopathy. There was no statistically significant difference in myopia diopter, AL and ChT between the children group and the adolescent group ( Z=-1.201, -1.934, ?0.761; P=0.230, 0.053, 0.447). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidences of PPA, optic disc tilt and optic disc rotation ( χ2=0.293, 2.618, 0.398; P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of optic disc morphological changes between the low diopter long axial group and the high diopter long axial group ( χ2=0.000, P>0.05). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the thinner the ChT, the higher the risk of PPA [odds ratio (OR) =0.98, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 0.97-0.99, P<0.001]. Female ( OR=2.3, 95% CI 1.04-5.07, P=0.039), older age ( OR=1.17, 95% CI 1.01-1.37, P=0.043), thinner ChT ( OR=0.99, 95% CI 0.99-1.00, P=0.012), the higher the risk of optic disc tilt. The older the age, the higher the risk of developing PHOMS ( OR=1.22, 95% CI 1.06-1.40, P=0.006). Conclusions:Optic disc morphology changes may be the most common fundus alterations in children and adolescents with high myopia. The influencing factors of optic disc morphological changes (including PPA, optic disc tilt, and PHOMS) are female sex, advanced age, and ChT thinning.

The xylitol dehydrogenase(XDH)is a crucial enzyme involved in the xylose utilization in pentose-catabolizing yeasts and fungi.In addition to producing xylulose,XDH can also be employed to develop a biosensor for monitoring xylitol concentration.In this study,the gene encoding the thermophilic fungus Talaromyces emersonii XDH(TeXDH)was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)at 16 ℃ in the soluble form.Recombinant TeXDH with high purity was purified by using a Ni-NTA affinity column.Size-exclusion chromatography and SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated that the puri-fied recombinant TeXDH exists as a native trimer with a molecular mass of approximately 116 kD,and is composed of three identical subunits,each with a molecular weight of around 39 kD.The TeXDH strictly preferred NAD+as a coenzyme to NADP+.The optimal temperature and pH of the TeXDH were 40 ℃and 10.0,respectively.After EDTA treatment,the enzyme activity of TeXDH decreased to 43.26％of the initial enzyme activity,while the divalent metal ions Mg2+or Ca2+could recover the enzyme activity of TeXDH,reaching 103.32％and 110.69％of the initial enzyme activity,respectively,making them the optimal divalent metal ion cofactors for TeXDH enzyme.However,the divalent metal ions of Mn2+,Ni2+,Cu2+,Zn2+,Co2+,and Cd2+significantly inhibited the activity of TeXDH.ICP-MS and molecular doc-king studies revealed that 1 mol/L of TeXDH bound 2 mol/L Zn2+ions and 1 mol/L Mg2+ion.Further-more,TeXDH exhibited a high specificity for xylitol,laying the foundation for the development of future xylitol biosensors.