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Objective. To investigate the relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and tumor-associated macrophages in oral cancer (TAMs) with lymph node metastasis. Method. From January 2018 to January 2022, 155 cases of oral cancer tissues and 165 cases of normal mucosal tissues were collected from oral surgical resection tissues or biopsy specimens in Hebei Eye Hospital. Oral cancer tissues were observed. The control group had normal mucosal tissues. The clinical and immune parameters were observed and the treatment of oral cancer is also briefly discussed. Results. The number of TAMs and the expression of VEGF-C in oral cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in normal tissues (P < 0.05). The lymphatic vessel density, the number of TAMs, and the expression of VEGF-C in the metastatic group were higher than in nonmetastatic group, and the lymphatic vessel density, the number of TAMs, and the expression of VEGF-C in the paracancerous tissues were higher than central tumor tissue in the metastatic group (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed that the number of TAMs was related to the histological stage and the pathological type of oral cancer (P > 0.05). The expression of VEGF-C was associated with the histological stage of oral cancer (P < 0.05). Compared with the immune function after different treatments, the contents of CD4+ in both groups was higher than before, and the combined treatment group was increased more than single treatment group (P < 0.05). The contents of CD3+ and CD8+ in the two groups were lower than before, and the combined treatment group was decreased higher than combined treatment group (P < 0.05). Conclusions. The number of TAMs and the expression of VEGF-C in oral cancer tissues are higher than normal tissues. The number of TAMs and the expression of VEGF-C are higher in patients with lymph node metastasis. TAMs and VEGF-C may play an important role in lymph node metastasis of oral cancer. Integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine can improve the immune function of patients with oral cancer and may improve the therapeutic efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of the study is to observe the difference in progression between type 1 and type 2 Bietti crystalline dystrophy (BCD) using multimodal imaging. Methods. A retrospective clinical study was performed with six BCD patients who underwent multimodal imaging twice in Hebei Provincial Eye Hospital from October 2015 to December 2020. Multimodal imaging includes color fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence (AF), infrared autofluorescence (IRAF), fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). The fundus lesion progression difference was observed in 3 patients with type 1 BCD and 3 patients with type 2 BCD. Results. In type 1 BCD, the range of hypoautofluorescence (hypo-AF), hypoinfrared autofluorescence (hypo-IRAF), and hypofluorescence in the posterior pole was enlarged, and FFA showed that the lesions in the posterior pole and periphery extended to the middle periphery. SD-OCT revealed retinal and choroidal thinning, progressive loss of the outer nuclear layer and ellipsoid zone, and reduction of the choroid macrovascular diameter. In type 2 BCD, the range of hypo-AF was enlarged, but there was no significant change in the macula area. The uniform hypo-IRAF in the posterior pole showed no significant change. FFA showed no significant change with the progression of the disease in the macula area and the hypofluorescence around it expanded. SD-OCT revealed no obvious change in the macula area. Conclusions. The retinal choroid atrophy in the macula area of type 1 BCD continued to worsen, and the choroid great vessels became narrower. The macular lesions of type 2 BCD can remain unchanged for a long time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to measure and compare the retinal vascular parameters and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) in Chinese and Caucasian populations by using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT‐A). Methods: Fifty‐one eyes of Han Chinese and 43 eyes of Caucasians were retrospectively included in our study. The measurements were acquired using Zeiss Cirrus 5000, with the same software version 10 in Poland and China. Results: The size of the FAZ was 0.33 ± 0.012 and 0.28 ± 0.014 mm2 (p = 0.0289) and the diameter was 2.43 ± 0.06 and 2.18 ± 0.07 mm (p = 0.0057) for Chinese and Caucasian populations, respectively. However, no differences were observed in circularities between the populations. The full Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) vessel length density was significantly different for Chinese (17.05 ± 0.24 mm/mm2) and Caucasian (16.08 ± 0.43 mm/mm2) populations. In addition, the outer ETDRS vessel length density was significantly different for Chinese (16.43 ± 0.42 mm/mm2) and Caucasian (17.47 ± 0.24 mm/mm2) populations, but the central 7.33 ± 1.68 versus 9.32 ± 1.54 mm/mm2 for the Caucasian and Chinese and inner 16.14 ± 0.52 for Caucasian and 16.93 ± 0.27 mm/mm2 for Chinese subjects density was not. A significant yet weak positive correlation between FAZ and vessel density was observed (r = 0.216). Furthermore, no significant intersexual differences were observed in study parameters. Conclusion: The Chinese population had larger FAZ with higher vessel length density in the superficial layers of the retina than the Caucasian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To qualitatively and quantitatively characterise the genotypes and phenotypes of Bietti's crystalline dystrophy (BCD) in a cohort of patients., Design: Cross-sectional and observational study., Methods: Clinically confirmed BCD patients were recruited for genotyping and phenotyping. Multiple retinal imaging modalities were employed. Atrophy in the fovea was adopted as major consideration for staging strategy, while percentage area of autofluorescence (AF) atrophy (PAFA) in the macula was determined for quantitation., Results: In 74 clinically diagnosed BCD patients, c.802-8&#95;810del17insGC was shown the predominant variant of the CYP4V2 gene (allele frequency 55.4%). Sixty-two cases (123 eyes) with full imaging data were classified according to a modified criterion into stages 1 (n=8, 6.50%), 2A (n=9, 7.32%), 2B (n=17, 13.82%), 3A (n=30, 24.39%) and 3B (n=59, 47.97%). The eyes of the stage 2B were particularly deemed 'high risk' due to atrophy near fovea, while in stage 3A, though with remarkable foveal atrophy, preserved retinal pigment epithelium/photoreceptor islands near the fovea were found in 14 eyes. A tendency of increase in PAFA with age was found (r s =0.31, p=0.014). Significant PAFA increase was shown through stages 1 to 3B, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA, Logarithm of the Minimum Angle of Resolution) was shown to moderately correlate with PAFA (r s =0.56, p<0.001)., Conclusion: The PAFA might be an efficient biomarker for BCD severities correlating with BCVA. The highly heterogeneous chorioretinopathy and BCVA of BCD cases appear to be associated with disease stages, progression types and patients' ages. Foveal involvement should be of a major concern for consideration of potential therapeutic intervention., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)