Organocatalyzed Asymmetric Michael Addition of 3-Fluorooxindole to Vinylidene Bisphosphonates.

Both the 3-fluorooxindole and germinal bisphosphonate structural motifs are prevalent in bioactive molecules because of their associated biological activities. We describe an approach to accessing 3,3-disubstituted 3-fluorooxindoles bearing a geminal bisphosphate fragment through a highly enantioselective Michael addition reaction between 3-fluorooxindoles and vinylidene bisphosphonates. These reactions are catalyzed by a commercially available cinchona alkaloid catalyst, have a broad substrate scope concerning 3-fluorooxindoles, and provide the corresponding addition products in a yield of up to 95% with an enantiomeric excess of up to 95%. A reasonable reaction pathway to explain the observed stereochemistry is also proposed.

The Accompanying Effect in Responses to Auditory Perturbations: Unconscious Vocal Adjustments to Unperturbed Parameters.

PURPOSE: The present study examined whether participants respond to unperturbed parameters while experiencing specific perturbations in auditory feedback. For instance, we aim to determine if speakers adjust voice loudness when only pitch is artificially altered in auditory feedback. This phenomenon is referred to as the "accompanying effect" in the present study. METHOD: Thirty native Mandarin speakers were asked to sustain the vowel /ɛ/ for 3 s while their auditory feedback underwent single shifts in one of the three distinct ways: pitch shift (±100 cents; coded as PT), loudness shift (±6 dB; coded as LD), or first formant (F1) shift (±100 Hz; coded as FM). Participants were instructed to ignore the perturbations in their auditory feedback. Response types were categorized based on pitch, loudness, and F1 for each individual trial, such as Popp_Lopp_Fopp indicating opposing responses in all three domains. RESULTS: The accompanying effect appeared 93% of the time. Bayesian Poisson regression models indicate that opposing responses in all three domains (Popp_Lopp_Fopp) were the most prevalent response type across the conditions (PT, LD, and FM). The more frequently used response types exhibited opposing responses and significantly larger response curves than the less frequently used response types. Following responses became more prevalent only when the perturbed stimuli were perceived as voices from someone else (external references), particularly in the FM condition. In terms of isotropy, loudness and F1 tended to change in the same direction rather than loudness and pitch. CONCLUSION: The presence of the accompanying effect suggests that the motor systems responsible for regulating pitch, loudness, and formants are not entirely independent but rather interconnected to some degree.

The Effects of Health Education and the Sunrise Model of Nursing Care on Blood Pressure Control and Psychological Status in Elderly Patients with Hypertension.

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the effect of health education and a positive attitude nursing model on blood pressure (BP) control and psychological status in elderly patients with hypertension (HTN). Methods: A total of 80 elderly patients with HTN in the Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital in China were selected as the study participants. They were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group, with 40 patients in each group. The control group received the routine nursing intervention, while the observation group received health education and the positive attitude nursing intervention based on the nursing care in the control group. The BP control effect, changes in systolic and diastolic BP, psychological status and nursing satisfaction were compared in the 2 groups. Results: The BP control rate in the control group was 77.5% and was 95.0% in the observation group, which was significantly better (P < .05). Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in average systolic and diastolic BP between the 2 groups (P > .05); after the intervention, average systolic and diastolic BP in the observation group were significantly lower than in the control group (P < .05). Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SDS) scores between the 2 groups (P > .05). After the intervention, the SAS and SDS scores in the observation group were significantly better than those in the control group (P < .05). The nursing satisfaction in the control group was 75.0% and was 95.0% in the observation group, which was significantly higher (P < .05). Conclusion: Compared with routine nursing intervention, the health education and positive attitude nursing intervention can further improve BP control, psychological status and satisfaction and recognition level of elderly patients with HTN; it can be an important clinical nursing intervention.

Identification of key mitochondria-related genes and their relevance to the immune system linking Parkinson's disease and primary Sjögren's syndrome through integrated bioinformatics analyses.

BACKGROUND: Mitochondria are the metabolic hubs of cells, regulating energy production and antigen presentation, which are essential for activation, proliferation, and function of immune cells. Recent evidence indicates that mitochondrial antigen presentation may have an impact on diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and autoimmune diseases. However, there is limited knowledge about the mechanisms that regulate the presentation of mitochondrial antigens in these diseases. METHODS: In the current study, RNA sequencing was performed on labial minor salivary gland (LSG) from 25 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and 14 non-pSS aged controls. Additionally, we obtained gene expression omnibus datasets associated with PD patients from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA), ESTIMATE and Spearman correlations were conducted to explore the association between mitochondrial related genes and the immune system. Furthermore, we applied weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to identify hub mitochondria-related genes and investigate the correlated networks in both diseases. Single cell transcriptome analysis, immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) were used to verify the activation of the hub mitochondria-related pathway. Pearson correlations and the CIBERSORT algorithms were employed to further reveal the correlation between hub mitochondria-related pathways and immune infiltration. RESULTS: The transcriptome analysis revealed the presence of overlapping mitochondria-related genes and mitochondrial DNA damage in patients with pSS and PD. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), the senescence marker p53, and the inflammatory markers CD45 and Bcl-2 were found to be regionally distributed in LSGs of pSS patients. WGCNA analysis identified the STING pathway as the central mitochondria-related pathway closely associated with the immune system. Single cell analysis, IHC staining, and qRT-PCR confirmed the activation of the STING pathway. Subsequent, bioinformatic analysis revealed the proportion of infiltrating immune cells in the STING-high and STING-low groups of pSS and PD. Furthermore, the study demonstrated the association of the STING pathway with innate and adaptive immune cells, as well as functional cells, in the immune microenvironment of PD and pSS. CONCLUSION: Our study uncovered a central pathway that connects mitochondrial dysfunction and the immune microenvironment in PD and pSS, potentially offering valuable insights into therapeutic targets for these conditions.

Zonular instability-associated morphologic features in eyes with primary angle closure disease using the swept-source anterior segment - optical coherence tomography system.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the morphologic features of the crystalline lens in Primary Angle Closure Disease (PACD) patients with zonular instability during cataract surgery using the swept-source CASIA 2 Anterior Segment-Optical Coherence Tomography (AS-OCT) system. METHODS: A total of 398 eyes (125 PACD eyes with zonular instability, 133 PACD eyes with zonular stability, and 140 cataract patient controls) of 398 patients who underwent cataract surgery combined or not glaucoma surgery between January 2021 and January 2023 were enrolled. The crystalline lens parameters were measured by CASIA2 AS-OCT. Then, logistic regression was performed to evaluate the risk factors associated with zonular instability. RESULTS: The results revealed that PACD eyes had a more anterior lens equator position, a steeper anterior curvature of lens, shorter Axial Length (AL), shallower Anterior Chamber Distance (ACD), higher Lens Vault (LV) and thicker Lens Thickness (LT), when compared to eyes in the cataract control group. Furthermore, PACD eyes in the zonular instability group had steeper front R, front Rs and Front Rf, flatter back Rf, thicker lens anterior part thickness, higher lens anterior-to-posterior part thickness ratios, shallower ACD, and greater LV, when compared to PACD eyes with zonular stability. The logistic regression analysis, which was adjusted for age and gender, revealed that zonular instability was positively correlated with anterior part thickness, lens anterior-to-posterior part thickness ratio, and LV, but was negatively correlated with lens anterior radius and ACD. CONCLUSION: Steeper anterior curvature, increased lens anterior part thickness, higher anterior-to-posterior part thickness ratio, shallower ACD, and greater LV are the anatomic features of PACD eyes associated with zonular instability.

Clinical metabolomics characteristics of diabetic kidney disease: A meta-analysis of 1875 cases with diabetic kidney disease and 4503 controls.

AIMS: Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD), one of the major complications of diabetes, is also a major cause of end-stage renal disease. Metabolomics can provide a unique metabolic profile of the disease and thus predict or diagnose the development of the disease. Therefore, this study summarises a more comprehensive set of clinical biomarkers related to DKD to identify functional metabolites significantly associated with the development of DKD and reveal their driving mechanisms for DKD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases through October 2022. A meta-analysis was conducted on untargeted or targeted metabolomics research data based on the strategy of standardized mean differences and the process of ratio of means as the effect size, respectively. We compared the changes in metabolite levels between the DKD patients and the controls and explored the source of heterogeneity through subgroup analyses, sensitivity analysis and meta-regression analysis. RESULTS: The 34 clinical-based metabolomics studies clarified the differential metabolites between DKD and controls, containing 4503 control subjects and 1875 patients with DKD. The results showed that a total of 60 common differential metabolites were found in both meta-analyses, of which 5 metabolites (p < 0.05) were identified as essential metabolites. Compared with the control group, metabolites glycine, aconitic acid, glycolic acid and uracil decreased significantly in DKD patients; cysteine was significantly higher. This indicates that amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism in DKD patients are disordered. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified 5 metabolites and metabolic pathways related to DKD which can serve as biomarkers or targets for disease prevention and drug therapy.

Association between personality traits and psychological distress among postmenopausal women with coronary heart disease: A cross-sectional survey and mediation analysis.

Postmenopausal women with negative personality characteristics are at an increased risk of psychological disorders, yet little is known about the mechanism underlying the relationship between type D personality and psychological distress in postmenopausal women with coronary disease. This study assessed the mediating roles of perceived social support and self-perceived burden in the relationship between type D and psychological distress based on the equity theory and stress-buffering model. Demographic characteristics, type D, psychological distress, perceived social support, and self-perceived burden were completed by 335 participants with self-reported questionnaires using a cross-sectional design in Southeast China. The results revealed that perceived social support and self-perceived burden both separately and serially mediated the relationship between type D personality and psychological distress. Effective intervention strategies aimed at improving perceived social support or reducing self-perceived burden may be beneficial in reducing psychological distress.

Multi-omics analysis of disulfidptosis regulators and therapeutic potential reveals glycogen synthase 1 as a disulfidptosis triggering target for triple-negative breast cancer.

Disruption of disulfide homeostasis during biological processes can have fatal consequences. Excess disulfides induce cell death in a novel manner, termed as "disulfidptosis." However, the specific mechanism of disulfidptosis has not yet been elucidated. To determine the cancer types sensitive to disulfidptosis and outline the corresponding treatment strategies, we firstly investigated the crucial functions of disulfidptosis regulators pan-cancer at multi-omics levels. We found that different tumor types expressed dysregulated levels of disulfidptosis regulators, most of which had an impact on tumor prognosis. Moreover, we calculated the disulfidptosis activity score in tumors and validated it using multiple independent datasets. Additionally, we found that disulfidptosis activity was correlated with classic biological processes and pathways in various cancers. Disulfidptosis activity was also associated with tumor immune characteristics and could predict immunotherapy outcomes. Notably, the disulfidptosis regulator, glycogen synthase 1 (GYS1), was identified as a promising target for triple-negative breast cancer and validated via in vitro and in vivo experiments. In conclusion, our study elucidated the complex molecular phenotypes and clinicopathological correlations of disulfidptosis regulators in tumors, laying a solid foundation for the development of disulfidptosis-targeting strategies for cancer treatment.

Upregulation of proBDNF/p75NTR signaling in immune cells and its correlation with inflammatory markers in patients with major depression.

ProBDNF is the precursor protein of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expressed in the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Previous studies showed that the blood levels of both proBDNF and p75 neurotrophic receptors (p75NTR) in major depressive disorder (MDD) were increased, but which blood cell types express proBDNF and its receptors is not known. Furthermore, the relationship between proBDNF/p75NTR and inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood of MDD is unclear. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum were obtained from depressive patients (n = 32) and normal donors (n = 20). We examined the expression of proBDNF and inflammatory markers and their correlative relationship in patients with major depression. Using flow cytometry analysis, we examined which blood cells express proBDNF and its receptors. Finally, the role of proBDNF/p75NTR signal in inflammatory immune activity of PBMCs was verified in vitro experiments. Inflammatory cytokines in PBMC from MDD patients were increased and correlated with the major depression scores. The levels of IL-1ß and IL-10 were also positively correlated with the major depression scores, while the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were negatively correlated with the major depression scores. Intriguingly, the levels of sortilin were positively correlated with IL-1ß. Q-PCR and Western blots showed proBDNF, p75NTR, and sortilin levels were significantly increased in PBMCs from MDD patients compared with that from the normal donors. Flow cytometry studies showed that proBDNF and p75NTR were present mainly in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. The number of proBDNF and p75NTR positive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from MDD patients was increased and subsequently reversed after therapeutic management. Exogenous proBDNF protein or p75ECD-Fc treatment of cultured PBMC affected the release of inflammatory cytokines in vitro. ProBDNF promoted the expression of inflammatory cytokines, while p75ECD-Fc inhibited the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Given there was an inflammatory response of lymphocytes to proBDNF, it is suggested that proBDNF/p75NTR signaling may upstream inflammatory cytokines in MDD. Our data suggest that proBDNF/p75NTR signaling may not only serve as biomarkers but also may be a potential therapeutic target for MDD.

Atrial Fibrillation Detection with Single-Lead Electrocardiogram Based on Temporal Convolutional Network-ResNet.

Atrial fibrillation, one of the most common persistent cardiac arrhythmias globally, is known for its rapid and irregular atrial rhythms. This study integrates the temporal convolutional network (TCN) and residual network (ResNet) frameworks to effectively classify atrial fibrillation in single-lead ECGs, thereby enhancing the application of neural networks in this field. Our model demonstrated significant success in detecting atrial fibrillation, with experimental results showing an accuracy rate of 97% and an F1 score of 87%. These figures indicate the model's exceptional performance in identifying both majority and minority classes, reflecting its balanced and accurate classification capability. This research offers new perspectives and tools for diagnosis and treatment in cardiology, grounded in advanced neural network technology.

Is Kidney Function Associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration?: Findings from the Asian Eye Epidemiology Consortium.

PURPOSE: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) may elevate susceptibility to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) because of shared risk factors, pathogenic mechanisms, and genetic polymorphisms. Given the inconclusive findings in prior studies, we investigated this association using extensive datasets in the Asian Eye Epidemiology Consortium. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-one thousand two hundred fifty-three participants from 10 distinct population-based Asian studies. METHODS: Age-related macular degeneration was defined using the Wisconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System, the International Age-Related Maculopathy Epidemiological Study Group Classification, or the Beckman Clinical Classification. Chronic kidney disease was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of less than 60 ml/min per 1.73 m2. A pooled analysis using individual-level participant data was performed to examine the associations between CKD and eGFR with AMD (early and late), adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, body mass index, smoking status, total cholesterol, and study groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Odds ratio (OR) of early and late AMD. RESULTS: Among 51 253 participants (mean age, 54.1 ± 14.5 years), 5079 had CKD (9.9%). The prevalence of early AMD was 9.0%, and that of late AMD was 0.71%. After adjusting for confounders, individuals with CKD were associated with higher odds of late AMD (OR, 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-1.93; P = 0.008). Similarly, poorer kidney function (per 10-unit eGFR decrease) was associated with late AMD (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.05-1.19; P = 0.001). Nevertheless, CKD and eGFR were not associated significantly with early AMD (all P ≥ 0.149). CONCLUSIONS: Pooled analysis from 10 distinct Asian population-based studies revealed that CKD and compromised kidney function are associated significantly with late AMD. This finding further underscores the importance of ocular examinations in patients with CKD. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Interpretation of the global burden of lung cancer: Current status and future trends / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#The article titled "The global burden of lung cancer: Current status and future trends" which is recently published in Nature Reviews Cinical Oncology has provided a detailed analysis of the current global status of lung cancer. This article focuses on the global burden of lung cancer, risk factors, related prevention, control measures and treatment progress. Based on the current situation of lung cancer in the world, this paper analyzes the current situation of lung cancer in China, and briefly interprets the key points of prevention as well as control measures in the article.

Role of inhibiting lncRNA TUG1 to down⁃regulate nucleotide binding oligomerization domain like receptor protein 1 inflammasome in delaying the progression of Alzheimer’s disease / 解剖学报

Objective To investigate the relieving effects of knockdown of long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)taurine up-regulated gene 1 (TUG1) on inhibiting nucleotide binding oligomerization domain like receptor protein 1 (NLRP1) inflammasome and the progression of Alzheimer’ s disease. Methods Wild-type (WT group, 10 mice) or amyloid precursor protein (APP) / presenilin-1 (PS1) transgenic mice (30 mice) with a genetic background of C57 / BL6 aged 9-10 weeks were used in this study. APP / PS1 transgenic mice were randomly divided into model group, model+lncRNA TUG1 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) group and model + shRNA non target (NT) group (n = 10) . Blood samples, cerebral cortex tissues, primary microglial cells and primary astrocytes were collected from mice 12 weeks of age on day 1 (3-month-old) and 32 weeks of age on day 1 (8-month-old), with 5 mice per group at each time point. Real-time PCR analysis was used to detect the expression levels of lncRNA TUG1 and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) mRNA in cerebral cortex tissues and primary microglial cells, and C1r and C1s mRNA levels in primary astrocytes of 3-month-old and 8-month-old mice in the above 4 groups, respectively. ELISA was used to determine the MIF in plasma samples of the above 4 groups of mice. Primary microglia and astrocytes from the cerebral cortex of 3-month-old and 8-month-old mice were co-cultured. CCK-8 method was used to determine the proliferation ability of the above cells. Western blotting was used to determine the expression levels of MIF, pro interleukin-1β (pro-IL-1β), apoptosis associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recrult domain(ASC), Caspase-1 (p20), Caspase-1 (full), NLRP1 and NLRP3 in cerebral cortex tissues of 3-month-old and 8-month-old mice. Immunofluorescent staining was used to determine amyloid beta(Aβ) in cerebral cortex of 8-month-old mice. Results At the age of 3-month-old and 8-month-old, compared with the WT group, the relative expression level of lncRNA TUG1 and MIF in cerebral cortex tissues and primary microglia of model group mice was significantly up-regulated, with primary microglial cells and astrocytes proliferation ability enhanced (P0. 05) . There was no significant difference between the model group and the model+shRNA NT group mice of all the above factors (P>0. 05) . Conclusion In APP / PS1 transgenic mice, up-regulation of lncRNA TUG1 and MIF are positively associated with the activation of NLRP1 inflammasome in mice cerebral cortex tissues and primary microglia. Knock-down of lncRNA TUG1 can ameliorate the progression of Alzheimer’ s disease.

Hypoglycemic activities of flowers of Xanthoceras sorbifolia and identification of anti-oxidant components by off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging detection / 中草药·英文版

OBJECTIVE@#To identify phytochemical constituents present in the extract of flowers of Xanthoceras sorbifolia and evaluate their anti-oxidant and anti-hyperglycemic capacities.@*METHODS@#The AlCl3 colorimetric method and Prussian Blue assay were used to determine the contents of total flavonoids and total phenolic acids in extraction layers, and the bioactive layers was screened through anti - oxidative activity in vitro. The Waters ACQUITY UPLC system and a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column (2.0 mm × 150 mm, 5 μm) were used to identify the ingredients. And anti-oxidative ingredients were screened by off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging. The ameliorative role of it was further evaluated in a high-fat, streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rat model and the study was carried out on NADPH oxidase (PDB ID: 2CDU) by molecular docking.@*RESULTS@#Combined with the results of activity screening in vitro, the anti - oxidative part was identified as the ethyl acetate layer. A total of 24 chemical constituents were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in the ethyl acetate layer and 13 main anti-oxidative active constituents were preliminarily screened out through off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging. In vivo experiments showed that flowers of X. sorbifolia could significantly reduce the blood glucose level of diabetic mice and alleviate liver cell damage. Based on the results of docking analysis related to the identified phytocompounds and oxidase which involved in type 2 diabetes, quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, and isoquercitrin showed a better inhibitory profile.@*CONCLUSION@#The ethyl acetate layer was rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids and had significant anti-oxidant activity, which could prevent hyperglycemia. This observed activity profile suggested X. sorbifolia flowers as a promising new source of tea to develop alternative natural anti-diabetic products with a high safety margin.

BFGF attenuates aortic valvular interstitial cell calcification by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis.

The potential protective effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (BFGF) on the cardiovascular system has been proposed previously, however, its effect on calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) and underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. The valvular interstitial cell (VIC) were isolated from porcine aortic valve leaflets. To investigate the effect of BFGF on osteogenic differentiation of VIC, the osteogenic induced medium (OIM) and BFGF were added. The protein expression level was detected by Western blot, and apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. The effect of BFGF on CAVD process in vivo was assessed by a rat CAVD model, which was identified by echocardiography and Alizarin red staining. The expression level of BFGF in the aortic valve and serum were significantly upregulated in CAVD patients compared to control group. In addition, exogenous BFGF injection attenuates CAVD process in vivo. The protein markers of osteogenic differentiation, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), and apoptosis were significantly upregulated by culture with OIM. On the contrary, the aforementioned proteins were suppressed after adding 100 ng/mL of BFGF. Inhibition of PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 pathways by specific inhibitors abolished the protective effect of BFGF. In conclusion, BFGF could alleviate the VIC calcification by inhibiting ERS-mediated apoptosis, which is partly regulated by activation of the PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 signaling pathways. BFGF may provide a potential avenue for CAVD therapy.

Clinical significance of episcleral venous fluid wave in gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy.

AIM: To evaluate the clinical significance of checking episcleral venous fluid wave (EVFW) during gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy (GATT) in patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG). METHODS: This retrospective case series study comprised 30 patients (45 eyes) with OAG underwent GATT. The location and extent of EVFW were examined and graded after intraoperative compression flushing of the anterior chamber angle during the operation. Patients were followed up for 1y. A complete success for surgery is defined as a postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) <18 mm Hg without any anti-glaucoma medication. IOP<18 mm Hg with less than two anti-glaucoma medications is defined as qualified success, while the control of IOP requiring three anti-glaucoma medications is considered as unsuccess. RESULTS: The mean IOP was 35.38±7.16 mm Hg before surgery and 15.52±4.22 mm Hg 1y after surgery (P<0.01). The average number of anti-glaucoma medication was 2.8±1.2 (2-4) preoperation and 0.6±1.3 (0-3) 1y postoperation (P<0.01). The success rate of the operation was 93.33%. Complete success rate was 66.67%, qualified success rate was 26.67%, and 6.66% of unsuccessful cases required reoperation. EVFW of all cases was grade 2-4, and the percentages of grade 2, 3 and 4 were 33.33%, 40.0% and 26.67%, respectively. The distribution and percentage of EVFW were inferior (36%), nasal (28%), superior (20%), and temporal (16%). The EVFW grade of complete success patients was 3.4±0.6 (3-4), and that of qualified success patients was 2.6±1.0 (2-4). The larger the range of EVFW, the lower the IOP, and the better the IOP reduction effect. CONCLUSION: During GATT surgery, pressurized irrigation of anterior chamber to check EVFW can reduce the outflow resistance of aqueous humor and increase the effect of postoperative IOP. The range of EVFW is negatively correlated with postoperative IOP. Therefore, EVFW may be a valuable prognostic indicator for the success of GATT surgery.

A comparative study of ultrasound cycloplasty and endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation in the treatment of secondary glaucoma.

To compare the clinical efficacy of ultrasound cycloplasty (UCP) and endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (ECP) in the treatment of secondary glaucoma. In a 12-month prospective single-center study, 22 patients with secondary glaucoma were treated by high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), and 23 patients with secondary glaucoma were treated by a semiconductor laser. At the final follow-up, the two groups' surgical outcomes were compared. A complete success was defined as an intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction of at least 20% from baseline and an IOP of > 5 mmHg and ≦ 21 mmHg, while a qualified success was defined as an IOP reduction of at least 20% from baseline and an IOP of > 5 mmHg. The secondary outcome was the average IOP, number of drugs, and complications at each follow-up compared with the baseline. The average preoperative IOPs in the UCP and ECP groups were 36.4 ± 9.5 mmHg (n = 2.3 drops, n = 0.2 tablets) and 34.5 ± 11.7 mmHg (n = 2.0 drops, n = 0.3 tablets), respectively. In the last follow-up, the success rate of UCP was 54% (with a decrease of 32%) and that of ECP was 65% (with a decrease of 35%), and the P-value between the two groups was > 0.05. However, there was a difference in the average IOP between these two groups 1 day and 1 week after the operation, and the IOP reduction efficiency in the ECP group was better. However, the amount of drug used after these two surgeries was significantly reduced. There were fewer postoperative complications in the UCP group (18 cases) than in the ECP group (35 cases). Both UCP and ECP can effectively reduce IOP in secondary glaucoma, and ECP has a better effect at the early stages. However, UCP has higher safety and tolerance for patients.

Prospects and challenges of CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology in cancer research.

Cancer, one of the leading causes of death, usually commences and progresses as a result of a series of gene mutations and dysregulation of expression. With the development of clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 gene-editing technology, it is possible to edit and then decode the functions of cancer-related gene mutations, markedly advance the research of biological mechanisms and treatment of cancer. This review summarizes the mechanism and development of CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology in recent years and describes its potential application in cancer-related research, such as the establishment of human tumor disease models, gene therapy and immunotherapy. The challenges and future development directions are highlighted to provide a reference for exploring pathological mechanisms and potential treatment protocols of cancer.

The causal association between polycystic ovary syndrome and susceptibility and severity of COVID-19: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study using genetic data.

Introduction: Observational studies have reported an association between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and COVID-19, but a definitive causal relationship has not been established. This study aimed to assess this association using two-way two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR). Methods: A summary of PCOS characteristics was compiled using the PCOS summary statistics from the Apollo University of Cambridge Repository. COVID-19 susceptibility and severity statistics, including hospitalization and extremely severe disease, were obtained from genome-wide association studies from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative. The primary analysis used the inverse variance-weighted method, supplemented by the weighted median, MR-Egger, and MR-PRESSO methods. Results: The forward MR analysis showed no significant impact of PCOS on COVID-19 susceptibility, hospitalization, or severity (OR = 0.983, 1.011, 1.014; 95% CI = 0.958-1.008, 0.958-1.068, 0.934-1.101; and p = 0.173, 0.68, 0.733; respectively). Similarly, reverse MR analysis found no evidence supporting COVID-19 phenotypes as risk or protective factors for PCOS (OR = 1.041, 0.995, 0.944; 95% CI = 0.657-1.649, 0.85-1.164, 0.843-1.058; and p = 0.864, 0.945, 0.323; respectively). Consequently, no significant association between any COVID-19 phenotype and PCOS was established. Conclusion: This MR study suggested that PCOS is not a causal risk factor for the susceptibility and severity of COVID-19. The associations identified in previous observational studies might be attributable to the presence of comorbidities in the patients.

Return to Work Experience of Young and Middle-Aged Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: Return to work (RTW) is a critical component of rehabilitation for most young and middle-aged patients after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Its success is related to the quality of life and social psychological function of patients, and their social economic growth. However, healthcare professionals often do not deeply understand the patients' experience and their difficulties and coping methods during this process, which limits their ability to institute effective management and support. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to explore the lived experiences and change processes of young and middle-aged patients with AMI at the different stages of RTW. METHODS: A descriptive qualitative approach was used. Patients aged 20 to 59 years with AMI were recruited from the Department of Cardiology of 3 general hospitals. Data were collected via semistructured interviews. Data analysis was performed by conventional content analysis methods. RESULTS: In total, 18 participants were included. Five main themes emerged: (1) "chaos," (2) "rebuilding," (3) "conflict," (4) "coping," and (5) "benefits." Patients may be more concerned about physical recovery during the initial clinical event. They then begin to plan and adjust for an RTW. Patients in the maintenance phase need strategies to prevent, identify, and respond to conflicts and challenges to maintain long-term stable work. CONCLUSION: We identified several post-AMI stages spanning from the initial illness event to the maintenance of stable work. We described their perceived barriers, coping strategies, and support needs at these various stages. These data are crucial for healthcare professionals to develop improved vocational rehabilitation strategies for patients with AMI.