Clinical efficacy of cyclosporin and natamycin for fungal keratitis.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical efficacy of cyclosporin (CYSP) and natamycin (NAT) as a combination therapy in patients with fungal keratitis. Methods: This is a retrospective study. A total of 64 patients (64 eyes) with fungal keratitis treated by Baoding No.1 Central Hospital between December 2018 and May 2022 according to their treatment methods were divided into a monotherapy (MT) group receiving NAT eye drops solely and a combination therapy (CT) group given CYSP eye drops in addition to the exact treatment provided for the MT group. The clinical responses, visual acuity changes, severity of eye symptoms, and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Results: At two and four weeks post-treatment, the CT group had an overall response rate (ORR) significantly higher than that of the MT group (P< 0.05, respectively); both groups showed improved visual acuity and eye symptoms compared with the pre-treatment condition, and these improvements were more pronounced in the CT group (P < 0.05, respectively). Compared with the MT group, the CT group experienced a significantly shorter duration of eye symptoms (P < 0.05). The adverse reaction rate(ARR) was 9.38% in the CT group and 6.25% in the MT group, and the difference was not significant (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Using CYSP and NAT as a combination therapy for fungal keratitis can substantially heighten the therapeutic effects, promote visual acuity recovery, and induce rapid remission of eye symptoms without increasing the risk of adverse reactions.

Dual-channel air-pulse optical coherence elastography for frequency-response analysis.

Microliter air-pulse optical coherence elastography (OCE) has recently been proposed for the characterization of soft-tissue biomechanics using transient, sub-nanometer to micrometer-scale natural frequency oscillations. However, previous studies have not been able to provide real-time air-pulse monitoring during OCE natural frequency measurement, which could lead to inaccurate measurement results due to the unknown excitation spectrum. To address this issue, we introduce a dual-channel air-pulse OCE method, with one channel stimulating the sample and the other being simultaneously measured with a pressure sensor. This allows for more accurate natural frequency characterization using the frequency response function, as proven by a comprehensive comparison under different conditions with a diverse range of excitation spectra (from broad to narrow, clean to noisy) as well as a diverse set of sample response spectra. We also demonstrate the capability of the frequency-response analysis in distinguishing samples with different stiffness levels: the dominant natural frequencies increased with agar concentrations (181-359 Hz, concentrations: 1-2%, and maximum displacements: 0.12-0.47 µm) and intraocular pressures (IOPs) for the silicone cornea (333-412 Hz, IOP: 5-40 mmHg, and maximum displacements: 0.41-0.52 µm) under a 200 Pa stimulation pressure. These frequencies remained consistent across different air-pulse durations (3 ms to 35 ms). The dual-channel OCE approach that uses transient, low-pressure stimulation and high-resolution imaging holds the potential to advance our understanding of sample frequency responses, especially when investigating delicate tissues such as the human cornea in vivo.

The novel HLA-A*11:01:127 allele, identified by Sanger dideoxy nucleotide sequencing in a Chinese individual.

HLA-A*11:01:127 differs from HLA-A*11:01:01:01 by one nucleotide in exon 3.

Bioinductive Patch as an Augmentation for Rotator Cuff Repair, a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Rotator cuff tears (RCTs) are a prevalent cause of shoulder pain and dysfunction. For those who fail initial conservative treatment, operative intervention can be pursued. A significant and common complication after rotator cuff repair (RCR) is retearing or non-healing. Numerous augmentations to traditional suture RCR have been studied. Of these, the Smith+Nephew Regeneten bioinductive collagen patch has had promising initial results; however, analytic data for its use is lacking, and there is no meta-analysis comparing the available data to historical RCR outcomes. METHODS: A PRISMA-guided literature search was conducted using Ovid MEDLINE, PubMED, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov. 13 studies met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Only clinical trials on full and partial-thickness tears were included. American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon score (ASES), Constant-Murley score (CMS), the visual analog scale for pain (VAS), the minimal clinically important difference (MCID), tendon thickness, and complication rates were primary outcomes of interest. A meta-analysis was performed to determine the overall complication and retear rate from the included studies. RESULTS: ASES, CMS, and VAS improved significantly in all studies that reported them, and most patients achieved MCID. Patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) improvements were similar to historical improvements in standard RCR, and a similar proportion of patients achieved MCID after standard repair. Tendon thickness improved significantly and to a similar degree as standard RCR. Overall retear rate after full thickness RCR augmented with the bioinductive patch was 8.3%. For partial thickness RCR, total retear rate of 1.1% across all patients. The overall complication rate with the bioinductive patch was 15.5% across all full-thickness RCR studies and 16.2% in partial thickness RCR. We found overall retear rate to be lower after augmentation with the bioinductive patch compared to traditional repair; however, the overall complication rate was similar for full-thickness tears and higher for partial-thickness tears. Lastly, adverse reactions to the bioinductive patch were noted at 0.2%. CONCLUSIONS: The bioinductive collagen patch appears to be a safe augmentation for rotator cuff repair. Patients are likely to experience significant subjective improvement in PROMs and significant increases in tendon thickness. Retear rate has been a concern after RCR for decades, and the bioinductive patch may help mitigate this risk. There is a lack of case-control studies comparing the bioinductive patch to traditional suture RCR. Such data is needed to better determine the role of the bioinductive patch in the treatment of full and partial-thickness rotator cuff repairs.

The novel HLA-B*40:550 allele, identified by Sanger dideoxy nucleotide sequencing in a Chinese individual.

HLA-B*40:550 differs from HLA-B*40:01:02:01 by one nucleotide in exon 1.

The novel HLA-DPB1*1553:01 allele, identified by Sanger dideoxy nucleotide sequencing in a Chinese individual.

HLA-DPB1*1553:01 differs from HLA-DPB1*09:01:01:01 by one nucleotide in exon 3.

The novel HLA-C*07:1089 allele, identified by Sanger dideoxy nucleotide sequencing in a Chinese individual.

HLA-C*07:1089 differs from HLA-C*07:02:01:01 by one nucleotide in exon 3.

Machine Learning in Diagnosis and Prognosis of Lung Cancer by PET-CT.

As a disease with high morbidity and high mortality, lung cancer has seriously harmed people's health. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are more important. PET/CT is usually used to obtain the early diagnosis, staging, and curative effect evaluation of tumors, especially lung cancer, due to the heterogeneity of tumors and the differences in artificial image interpretation and other reasons, it also fails to entirely reflect the real situation of tumors. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been applied to all aspects of life. Machine learning (ML) is one of the important ways to realize AI. With the help of the ML method used by PET/CT imaging technology, there are many studies in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. This article summarizes the application progress of ML based on PET/CT in lung cancer, in order to better serve the clinical. In this study, we searched PubMed using machine learning, lung cancer, and PET/CT as keywords to find relevant articles in the past 5 years or more. We found that PET/CT-based ML approaches have achieved significant results in the detection, delineation, classification of pathology, molecular subtyping, staging, and response assessment with survival and prognosis of lung cancer, which can provide clinicians a powerful tool to support and assist in critical daily clinical decisions. However, ML has some shortcomings such as slightly poor repeatability and reliability.

Salvia miltiorrhiza inhibited lung cancer through aerobic glycolysis suppression.

Lung cancer causes the most cancer deaths and needs new treatment strategies urgently. Salvia miltiorrhiza is a classical Chinese herb and a strong candidate for tumor treatment. The study found that the aqueous extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza (DSAE), ethanol extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza (DSEE), and its active components danshensu (DSS) and dihydrotanshinone I (DHI), exhibited antineoplastic effects in vivo and in vitro. Meanwhile, DSAE, DSEE, DSS, and DHI reduced glycolysis metabolites (ATP, lactate, and pyruvate contents) production, decreased aerobic glycolysis enzymes, and inhibited Seahorse indexes (OCR and ECAR) in Lewis lung cancer cells (LLC). Data suggests that aerobic glycolysis could be inhibited by Salvia miltiorrhiza and its components. The administration of DSS and DHI further reduced the level of HKII in lung cancer cell lines that had been inhibited with HK-II antagonists (2-deoxyglucose, 2-DG; 3-bromo-pyruvate, 3-BP) or knocked down with siRNA, thereby exerting an anti-lung cancer effect. Although DSS and DHI decreased the level of HKII in HKII-Knock-In lung cancer cell line, their anti-lung cancer efficacy remained limited due to the persistent overexpression of HKII in these cells. Reiterating the main points, we have discovered that the anti-lung cancer effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza may be attributed to its ability to regulate HKII expression levels, thereby inhibiting aerobic glycolysis. This study not only provides a new research paradigm for the treatment of cancer by Salvia miltiorrhiza, but also highlights the important link between glucose metabolism and the effect of Salvia Miltiorrhiza.

The novel HLA-C*03:652 allele, identified by Sanger dideoxy nucleotide sequencing in a Chinese individual.

HLA-C*03:652 differs from the HLA-C*03:04:01:01 by one nucleotide in exon 3.

The novel HLA-C*14:155 allele, identified by Sanger dideoxy nucleotide sequencing in a Chinese individual.

HLA-C*14:155 differs from HLA-C*14:02:01:01 by one nucleotide in exon 1.

Genome-based surveillance reveals cross-transmission of MRSA ST59 between humans and retail livestock products in Hanzhong, China.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been recognized in hospitals, community and livestock animals and the epidemiology of MRSA is undergoing a major evolution among humans and animals in the last decade. This study investigated the prevalence of MRSA isolates from ground pork, retail whole chicken, and patient samples in Hanzhong, China. The further characterization was performed by antimicrobial susceptibility testing and in-depth genome-based analysis to identify the resistant determinants and their phylogenetic relationship. A total of 93 MRSA isolates were recovered from patients (n = 67) and retail livestock products (n = 26) in Hanzhong, China. 83.9% (78/93) MRSA isolates showed multiple drug resistant phenotype. Three dominant livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) sequence types were identified: ST59-t437 (n = 47), ST9-t899 (n = 10) and ST398 (n = 7). There was a wide variation among sequence types in the distribution of tetracycline-resistance, scn-negative livestock markers and virulence genes. A previous major human MRSA ST59 became the predominant interspecies MRSA sequence type among humans and retail livestock products. A few LA-MRSA isolates from patients and livestock products showed close genetic similarity. The spreading of MRSA ST59 among livestock products deserving special attention and active surveillance should be enacted for the further epidemic spread of MRSA ST59 in China. Data generated from this study will contribute to formulation of new strategies for combating spread of MRSA.

Surgeon Upper Extremity Kinematics During Error and Error-Free Retropubic Trocar Passage.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Surgeon kinematics play a significant role in the prevention of patient injury. We hypothesized that elbow extension and ulnar wrist deviation are associated with bladder injury during simulated midurethral sling (MUS) procedures. METHODS: We used motion capture technology to measure surgeons' flexion/extension, abduction/adduction, and internal/external rotation angular time series for shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints. Starting and ending angles, minimum and maximum angles, and range of motion (ROM) were extracted from each time series. We created anatomical multibody models and applied linear mixed modeling to compare kinematics between trials with versus without bladder penetration and attending versus resident surgeons. A total of 32 trials would provide 90% power to detect a difference. RESULTS: Out of 85 passes, 62 were posterior to the suprapubic bone and 20 penetrated the bladder. Trials with versus without bladder penetration were associated with more initial wrist dorsiflexion (-27.32 vs -9.03°, p = 0.01), less final elbow flexion (39.49 vs 60.81, p = 0.03), and greater ROM in both the wrist (27.48 vs 14.01, p = 0.02), and elbow (20.45 vs 12.87, p = 0.04). Wrist deviation and arm pronation were not associated with bladder penetration. Compared with attendings, residents had more ROM in elbow flexion (14.61 vs 8.35°, p < 0.01), but less ROM in wrist dorsiflexion (13.31 vs 20.33, p = 0.02) and arm pronation (4.75 vs 38.46, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Bladder penetration during MUS is associated with wrist dorsiflexion and elbow flexion but not internal wrist deviation and arm supination. Attending surgeons exerted control with the wrist and forearm, surgical trainees with the elbow. Our findings have direct implications for MUS teaching.

Carpal tunnel syndrome and sleep, a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The most common symptom and reason patients seek treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome is lack of sleep. Our purpose was to determine how much sleep-related symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome improve after carpal tunnel release using validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and objective sleep data as primary measures of interest. METHODS: A PRISMA-guided literature search was conducted using Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Only interventional clinical trials that examined primary outcome measures of interest were included. Patient-reported outcome measures underwent meta-analysis to determine how much scores improved following carpal tunnel release. RESULTS: The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index improved significantly after carpal tunnel release, by 4.43 points and 6.02 points at 1-3 and 6-12 months postoperatively, respectively, and continued to improve up to 2 years. Improvement on the Insomnia Severity Index after carpal tunnel release was also significant, with improvement up to 1 year postoperatively, by 8.54 points and 9.05 points at 1-3 and 6-12 months, respectively. Insomnia Severity Index scores improved significantly after splinting as well. CONCLUSIONS: The present meta-analysis determined to what extent patients can expect their sleep to improve after operative and non-operative intervention, as measured by various patient-reported outcome measures that assess sleep. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Insomnia Severity Index correlated very well between studies and across hundreds of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. Data are lacking to define the minimal clinically important difference and assess whether patients achieve a minimal clinically important difference for sleep questionnaires; more information on this topic is needed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Bayesian network-based survival prediction model for patients having undergone post-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for portal hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Portal hypertension (PHT), primarily induced by cirrhosis, manifests severe symptoms impacting patient survival. Although transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is a critical intervention for managing PHT, it carries risks like hepatic encephalopathy, thus affecting patient survival prognosis. To our knowledge, existing prognostic models for post-TIPS survival in patients with PHT fail to account for the interplay among and collective impact of various prognostic factors on outcomes. Consequently, the development of an innovative modeling approach is essential to address this limitation. AIM: To develop and validate a Bayesian network (BN)-based survival prediction model for patients with cirrhosis-induced PHT having undergone TIPS. METHODS: The clinical data of 393 patients with cirrhosis-induced PHT who underwent TIPS surgery at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between January 2015 and May 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Variables were selected using Cox and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression methods, and a BN-based model was established and evaluated to predict survival in patients having undergone TIPS surgery for PHT. RESULTS: Variable selection revealed the following as key factors impacting survival: age, ascites, hypertension, indications for TIPS, postoperative portal vein pressure (post-PVP), aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, prealbumin, the Child-Pugh grade, and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. Based on the above-mentioned variables, a BN-based 2-year survival prognostic prediction model was constructed, which identified the following factors to be directly linked to the survival time: age, ascites, indications for TIPS, concurrent hypertension, post-PVP, the Child-Pugh grade, and the MELD score. The Bayesian information criterion was 3589.04, and 10-fold cross-validation indicated an average log-likelihood loss of 5.55 with a standard deviation of 0.16. The model's accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score were 0.90, 0.92, 0.97, and 0.95 respectively, with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve being 0.72. CONCLUSION: This study successfully developed a BN-based survival prediction model with good predictive capabilities. It offers valuable insights for treatment strategies and prognostic evaluations in patients having undergone TIPS surgery for PHT.

The novel HLA-DPB1*1500:01N allele, identified by Sanger dideoxy nucleotide sequencing in a Chinese individual.

HLA-DPB1*1500:01N differs from HLA-DPB1*05:01:01:01 by one nucleotide in exon 3.