Abstract Dry eye is a multifactorial ocular surface disease characterized by tear film homeostasis imbalance, which usually causes eye discomfort and visual impairment. With the change of environment and lifestyle, the incidence of dry eye in children and adolescents has risen steadily. Epidemiological studies have confirmed that the incidence of dry eye is closely related to unhealthy lifestyle. Prevention should be given great priority to in avoiding lifestyle related dry eye. The review summarizes the definition, epidemiology, risk factors and preventive measures of lifestyle related dry eye, so as to provide a theoretical basis for improving the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of lifestyle related dry eye in children and adolescents.

Allergic rhinitis is a common allergic disease in children.Its pathogenesis is complex and it is difficult to achieve radi-cal cure or effective and stable long-term treatment goals.Chinese medicine has obvious advantages in preventing and treating allergic rhinitis in children due to its wide range of targets,long-lasting effects and few adverse reactions.This paper proposes that the onset of allergic rhinitis is mostly caused by the dysfunction of the lung,spleen and kidney,the external wind triggering the latent wind,and the combination of the two winds.A staged prevention and treatment strategy of Chinese medicine should be adopted,which includes dispersing external wind,suppressing latent wind,and promoting lung-qi and clearing nasal orifice during the attack period to treat its symptoms,and preventing external wind,calming down latent wind,and regulating and tonifying the lung,spleen,and kidney during the remission period to treat its root cause;meanwhile,attention should be paid to avoiding the adverse effects of congenital endowment factors and the induction of acquired environmental factors,strengthening the body's health to protect against the evil wind,preventing the transformation of existing diseases and the recurrence of allergic rhinitis in children at all stages.

Objective:To summarize long-term clinical follow-up results of segment instability between the upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) and the adjacent upper vertebra (UIV+1) and to establish the optimal timing for surgery for UIV+1.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 265 patients with lumbar degenerative diseases who underwent transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) surgery at the Department of Spinal Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, from January 2014 to December 2018. The cohort included 119 male and 146 female patients, with an average age of 64.93 years (range: 32-86 years). Preoperative dynamic imaging measured sagittal angulation (SA) and sagittal translation (ST) of the UIV+1/UIV segment. Patients with SA>10° or ST>2 mm were categorized into the unstable group, further divided into the unstable non-fusion group and the unstable fusion group based on whether UIV+1 expansion fusion was performed. The remaining patients were classified into the stable group. Imaging indicators, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores, Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores, and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores were compared among the groups, with JOA improvement rates calculated to assess clinical efficacy. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis was employed to examine correlations between preoperative imaging indicators and final follow-up JOA improvement rates. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves and the maximum Youden index were utilized to determine thresholds for preoperative SA and ST.Results:The follow-up duration for all patients was 73.53±12.92 months (range: 61-108 months). The stable group (124 cases) included 61 males and 63 females, aged 64.31±9.83 years (range: 44-82 years). The unstable non-fusion group (59 cases) included 22 males and 37 females, aged 65.76±11.01 years (range: 32-86 years). The unstable fusion group (82 cases) included 36 males and 46 females, aged 65.26±8.68 years (range: 47-80 years). At the last follow-up, the unstable non-fusion group exhibited ΔSA 0.90°±1.97° and ΔST 0.77±1.27 mm, both significantly higher than the stable group's ΔSA 0.25°±1.57° and ΔST 0.34±0.34 mm ( t=3.564, P<0.001; t=2.311, P=0.022). Clinical improvements were lower in the unstable non-fusion group compared to the other two groups: VAS (2.28±0.83), ODI (5.91%±3.46%), JOA (24.11±1.78), with a JOA improvement rate of 60%. The stable group showed VAS (1.51±0.69), ODI (3.71%±1.75%), JOA (27.33±1.91), with a JOA improvement rate of 83%. The unstable fusion group had VAS (1.46±0.83), ODI (3.46%±1.81%), JOA (26.48±1.66), with a JOA improvement rate of 78%. These differences were statistically significant ( F=32.117, P<0.001; F=24.827, P<0.001; F=92.658, P<0.001; F=93.341, P<0.001). The JOA improvement rate was negatively correlated with preoperative SA ( r=-0.363, P<0.001) to a low extent, and with preoperative ST ( r=-0.596, P<0.001) to a moderate extent. ROC curve analysis determined the preoperative SA threshold as 11.5° and the preoperative ST threshold as 1.85 mm. Conclusion:Pre-existing instability of the responsible segment UIV and UIV+1 (SA>10° or ST>2 mm) may worsen during long-term follow-up after TLIF. When preoperative SA exceeds 11.5° and ST exceeds 1.85 mm between UIV and UIV+1, performing an extended fusion involving UIV+1 can ensure surgical efficacy over long-term follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: To review the clinical research progress of spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL). METHODS: The clinical studies on SEL at home and abroad in recent years were extensively reviewed, and the pathogenesis, clinical and imaging manifestations, and treatment status of SEL were summarized and analyzed. RESULTS: SEL is a disease characterized by compression of the spinal cord and nerve roots due to abnormal accumulation of epidural adipose tissue in the spinal canal. Its prevalence and diagnosis rate are low and the pathogenesis is not fully understood. MRI is the most sensitive and specific diagnostic test for SEL. Surgical decompression and removal of excess adipose tissue are the only options for patients with acute SEL or those who have failed conservative management, and conservative management should be considered for other patients. CONCLUSION SEL is a rare disease and related research still needs to be improved. In the future, high-quality, multi-center and large-sample studies will be of great significance for evaluating the choice of treatment methods and effectiveness of SEL patients.
Humans ; Decompression, Surgical/methods* ; Epidural Space/surgery* ; Lipomatosis/surgery* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Spinal Cord Diseases/surgery*

Ex vivo culture-amplified mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been studied because of their capacity for healing tissue injury. MSC transplantation is a valid approach for promoting the repair of damaged tissues and replacement of lost cells or to safeguard surviving cells, but currently the efficiency of MSC transplantation is constrained by the extensive loss of MSCs during the short post-transplantation period. Hence, strategies to increase the efficacy of MSC treatment are urgently needed. Iron overload, reactive oxygen species deposition, and decreased antioxidant capacity suppress the proliferation and regeneration of MSCs, thereby hastening cell death. Notably, oxidative stress (OS) and deficient antioxidant defense induced by iron overload can result in ferroptosis. Ferroptosis may inhibit cell survival after MSC transplantation, thereby reducing clinical efficacy. In this review, we explore the role of ferroptosis in MSC performance. Given that little research has focused on ferroptosis in transplanted MSCs, further study is urgently needed to enhance the in vivo implantation, function, and duration of MSCs.
Humans ; Antioxidants/metabolism* ; Ferroptosis ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; Iron Overload/metabolism*

Objective:To investigate the effects of maternal subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) on preschoolers′ behavioral problems.Methods:Based on the Ma′ anshan Birth Cohort, pregnant women who had their first antenatal checkup in Maternal and Child Health Center in Ma′ anshan were recruited from May 2013 to September 2014. Data on demographic, obstetric information, and maternal exposure were collected. Women′s fasting venous blood in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy was collected. The levels of thyroid hormones [thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine (FT 4)] and thyroid autoantibodies [thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb)] in maternal blood were retrospectively detected by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Preschoolers′ behavioral problems were assessed by Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/1.5-5). Poisson regression models were adopted to examine the effect of maternal SCH on preschoolers′ internalizing and externalizing problems and the critical period. Results:In this study, the reference of maternal thyroid indexes was established (between 2.5 th and 97.5 th percentile). The reference of TSH in the first, second, and third trimester of pregnancy was 0.04-4.90 μIU/mL, 0.75-6.08 μIU/mL, and 0.58-5.59 μIU/mL respectively; and the reference of FT 4 was 13.19-23.27 pmol/L, 9.14-15.32 pmol/L, and 9.53-17.45 pmol/L respectively. In the first, second, and third trimester of pregnancy, the prevalence of SCH was found to be 2.0% (25/1 224), 1.6% (19/1 218), and 1.7% (21/1 220), respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, maternal SCH in the first trimester was associated with the risk of anxiety and depression in preschool children ( OR=3.06, 95% CI 1.05-8.98). Maternal SCH in the second trimester was found to be associated with the risk of overreaction in preschool children ( OR=2.65, 95% CI 1.13-6.21). Conclusions:The establishment of thyroid hormones reference range for pregnant women in Ma′ anshan area is beneficial to the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of thyroid diseases during pregnancy in this area. Maternal SCH during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of behavioral problems in preschool children. In the first trimester, maternal SCH was associated with preschoolers′ anxiety and depression, and in the second trimester, maternal SCH was associated with preschoolers′ emotional reactivity.

Objective: To establish an assessment model for predicting the aggressiveness of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma(PTMC) and to provide a theoretical basis for actively monitoring the same. Methods: 264 PTMC patients were included from October 2017 to January 2021. All patients were confirmed by postoperative pathology. 154 cases collected from October 2017 to April 2019 were included in the model group while 110 cases collected from May 2019 to January 2021 were included in the validation group. We analyzed the clinical data, ultrasound characteristics, and BRAF V600 E gene status of 154 patients in the model group with confirmed PTMC based on pathological examination. Single factor regression was used to screen out risk factors for PTMC invasion, and these factors were then included in a multivariate logistic regression analysis to establish a risk prediction model; the established model was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of 110 PTMC patients in the validation group. Results: Multivariate analysis showed that male sex, age<45 years, microcalcification, tumor diameter>5 mm, suspected extraglandular invasion and lymph node metastasis on ultrasound, and BRAF V600 E gene mutation were all risk factors for PTMC invasion. A scoring model was established according to risk factors, and the higher the score, the higher the risk. In the 110-case verification group, the area under the predictive performance curve of the evaluation prediction model was 0.774(95%CI: 0.685-0.848), the cut-off value was 0.450 2, the sensitivity was 83.3%, and the specificity was 62.9%. The model therefore had good diagnostic efficacy. Conclusion Ultrasound combined with BRAF V600 E gene detection model can predict the aggressiveness of PTMC to a certain extent, which can provide reference for the selection of clinical treatment options.

Objective:To evaluate the role of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine like protein 1 (SPARCL1) in spinal dorsal horns in the development of remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia in mice with incisional pain.Methods:Forty-eight healthy male C57BL/6J mice, aged 8-10 weeks, weighing 18-22 g, were divided into 6 groups ( n=8 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C), incisional pain group (group I), remifentanil group (group R), incisional pain plus remifentanil group (group I+ R), incisional pain plus remifentanil plus negative control group (group I+ R+ N), and incisional pain plus remifentanil plus SPARCL1-siRNA group (group I+ R+ S). In I+ R+ N and I+ R+ S groups, 1×10 8 IFU/ml negative control siRNA and SPARCL1-siRNA 10 μl were intrathecally injected, respectively, once a day for 3 consecutive days.Normal saline 10 μl was intrathecally injected once a day for 3 consecutive days in C, I, R and I+ R groups.After transfection was stable, normal saline 0.1 ml was intravenously injected through the tail vein for 4 consecutive times at 15 min interval in C and I groups, and remifentanil 10 μg/kg (diluted to 0.1 ml in normal saline) was intravenously injected via the tail vein for 4 consecutive times at 15 min interval in R, I+ R, I+ R+ N and I+ R+ S groups.The incisional pain model was established after the first administration via the tail vein in R, I+ R, I+ R+ N and I+ R+ S groups.The mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal paw withdrawal latency (TWL) were measured at 24 h before infusing normal saline or remifentanil (T 0) and 3, 6, 24 and 48 h after stopping infusion (T 1-4). Animals were sacrificed after measuring pain threshold at T 4, and L 4-6 segments of the spinal cord were removed for determination of the expression of SPARCL1 protein and mRNA by Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Results:Compared with group C, MWT was significantly decreased and TWL was shortened at T 1-4 in I+ R and I+ R+ N groups and at T 2-4 in I, R and I+ R+ S groups, and the expression of SPARCL1 protein and mRNA was significantly up-regulated in R, I+ R and I+ R+ C groups ( P<0.05 or 0.01). Compared with group I and group R, MWT was significantly decreased, TWL was shortened, and the expression of SPARCL1 protein and mRNA was up-regulated in group I+ R ( P<0.01). Compared with group I+ R, MWT was significantly increased and TWL was prolonged at T 1-4, and the expression of SPARCL1 protein and mRNA was down-regulated in group I+ R+ S ( P<0.05 or 0.01). Conclusion:Enhanced activity of SPARCL1 in the spinal dorsal horns is involved in the development of remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia in mice with incisional pain.

Objective: To evaluate the role of neuroligin 1 (NL-1) in trafficking of GluR1-containing AMPA receptor to cell membrane in spinal cord dorsal horns during remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia in mice with incisional pain. Methods: Forty SPF healthy male C57BL/6J mice, aged 8-10 weeks, weighing 18-22 g, were divided into 5 groups (n=8 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C), NL1-shRNA plasmid group (group NL), incisional pain plus remifentanil group (group I+ R), incisional pain plus remifentanil plus blank vector group (group I+ R+ B), and incisional pain plus remifentanil plus NL-1-shRNA plasmid group (group I+ R+ NL). Negative lentivirus was intrathecally injected in group I+ R+ B.In NL and I+ R+ NL groups, 10 μl NL-1-shRNA lentivirus at 1×10⁸ IFU/ml was intrathecally injected once a day for 3 consecutive days.Normal saline 10 μl was intrathecally injected at the same time point in C and I+ R groups.After transfection was stable, normal saline 0.1 ml was injected via the caudal vein for 4 consecutive times at 15 min intervals in C and NL groups.In I+ R, I+ R+ B and I+ R+ NL groups, 0.1 ml remifentanil 10 μg/kg was injected via the caudal vein for 4 consecutive times at 15 min intervals, and the model of incisional pain was established after the first administration.The mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT) and tail-flick latency (TFL) were measured at 24 h before normal saline or remifentanil administration (T₀) and at 3, 6, 24 and 48 h after the end of administration (T_1-4). The animals were sacrificed after measurement of pain threshold at T₄, and L_4-6 segments of the spinal dorsal horn were then collected for determination of the expression of NL-1 protein and mRNA and AMPA receptors, and the ratio of AMPA receptor expression in the membrane protein to that in the total protein (m/t ratio) was calculated. Results: Compared with group C, the MWT was significantly decreased, and TFL was shortened at T_1-4, the expression of NL-1 protein and mRNA and GluR1-containing AMPA receptors in membrane and total proteins was up-regulated, and m/t ratio was increased in I+ R and I+ R+ B groups (P<0.05). Compared with I+ R and I+ R+ B groups, the MWT was significantly increased and TFL was prolonged at T_1-4, the expression of NL-1 protein and mRNA and GluR1-containing AMPA receptors in membrane and total proteins was down-regulated, and m/t ratio was decreased in group I+ R+ NL (P<0.05). Conclusion NL-1 in spinal cord dorsal horns can promote the trafficking of GluR1-containing AMPA receptors to cell membrane, which is involved in the development and maintenance of remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia in mice with incisional pain.

Objective: To evaluate the role of spinal COX-1 and COX-2 in remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia in mice with incisional pain. Methods: Thirty-two male C57BL/6J mice, aged 8-10 weeks, weighing 20-25 g, were divided into 4 groups (n=8 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C), incisional pain plus remifentanil group (group IR), incisional pain plus remifentanil plus selective COX-1 inhibitor group (group IR+ SC560), and incisional pain plus remifentanil plus selective COX-2 inhibitor group (group IR+ SC236). In IR, IR+ SC560 and IR+ SC236 groups, normal saline 10 μl, SC560 25 μg and SC236 25 μg were intrathecally injected, respectively, 15 min later remifentanil 10 μg/kg was injected via the tail vein for 4 times at 15 min intervals.An incisional pain model was established after the first injection of remifentanil.The mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT) was measured at 24 h before normal saline or remifentanil injection and 3, 6, 24 and 48 h after the last injection (T₀-T₄). The mice were sacrificed after the last measurement of pain threshold, and the L_4-6 segments of the spinal cord were removed for determination of the expression of COX-1 and COX-2 (by Western blot) and expression of COX-1 and COX-2 mRNA (by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction). Results: Compared with group C, the MWT was significantly decreased, and the expression of COX-2 protein and mRNA was up-regulated in IR, IR+ SC560 and IR+ SC236 groups (P<0.05). Compared with group IR, the MWT was significantly increased in IR+ SC560 and IR+ SC236 groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the MWT at each time point between IR+ SC560 and IR+ SC236 (P>0.05) .There was no significant difference in the expression of COX-2 protein and mRNA among group IR, group IR+ SC560 and group IR+ SC236 (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the expression of COX-1 protein and mRNA among the four groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Compared with COX-1, spinal COX-2 plays a major role in the pathophysiological mechanism of remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia in mice with incisional pain.