Retinopathy of prematurity( ROP),a leading cause of childhood visual impairment,is a vascular proliferative retinopathy in premature infants. Although the hallmark of ROP is abnormal retinal vasculature, a growing body of research in animals and observations in patients support a critical role for the neural retina in the ROP disease process. ROP can affect the foundation of the retina and optical nerve during the development duration in childhood, presenting with abnormalities in electroretinogram and multifocal electroretinogram. In addition,it was found that ROP has different degrees of influence on the development of the dioptric system ,which will result in refractive error as the child progress to adulthood. The relationship of the electrophysiology features or refractive abnormality and ROP was summarized in this article.

Objective To detect the quantity of Th17 cells and expressions of related cytokines including interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-22, in peripheral blood and skin lesions of patients with psoriasis vulgaris, and to analyze their correlation with disease severity and clinical course. Methods Peripheral blood was obtained from 44 patients with progressive psoriasis vulgaris and 28 normal human controls. Three-color flow cytometry was carried out to detect the quantity of Th17 cells, and ELISA to examine the levels of serum IL-17 and -22.Skin samples were obtained from 20 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 8 normal human controls, and a quantum dot-based double labled immumofluorescence method was used to determine the quantity of Th17 cells.Results The percentage of peripheral blood Th17 cells was higher in patients with psoriasis vulgaris than in normal human controls (4.71% ± 2.55% vs. 0.55% ± 0.39%, P ＜ 0.01 ). Elevated expressions of IL-17 and IL-22 were noted in the patients compared with the normal human controls (24.02 ± 12.31 ng/L vs. 7.16 ±4.04 ng/L, P ＜ 0.05; 18.32 ± 8.14 ng/L vs. 6.52 ± 4.15 ng/L, P ＜ 0.01 ). The percentage of peripheral blood Th17 cells and serum levels of IL-17 and IL-22 were positively correlated with psoriasis area and severity index (r= 0.53, 0.47, 0.53, respectively, all P ＜ 0.01 ), but unrelated to the clinical course of psoriasis (r = 0.09,0.03, 0.19, respectively, all P ＞ 0.05). There was an infiltrate of Th17 cells in psoriatic lesions, which was mainly distributed around the blood vessels in superficial dermis, whereas there were only a small number of CD4+ T cells in the normal control skin with the absence of Th17 cells. Conclusions Th17 cells are involved in the development of psoriasis, and Th17 cell-secreted cytokines, such as IL-17 and IL-22, may serve as a new therapeutic target for psoriasis.

The progress of modality therapy has improved both survival rate and quality of life of retinoblastoma(RB) patients.However,some problems are still left and unsolved.Parts of the RB relapse after they are treated for the first time.Even more remarkable,the related individuals to the RB patients run a risk of RB.Gene diagnosis and treatment are emerging and appear to solve these problems.Some researches in developed countries and Hong Kong have successfully made progress in gene diagnosis of RB.However,the detection rate of Rb1 gene mutation is very low.Researches documented for many years that gene diagnosis for RB is extremely complex,so we should go further to achieve a goal of gene diagnosis.Gene diagnosis of RB is still an initiation in China.We should strengthen relevant study and spread this technique.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of anatomic M-mode echocardiography (AMM)for pristine diagnosis of myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary heart diseases (CAD).Methods 44 inner patients who were suspected as CAD were detected.Ordinary ultrasound was performed first.The ventricular segmental wall thickness and amplitude were measured by AMM.Then,we got the ventricular wall thickening fractions.All subjects should take the coronary angiography after the ultrasound examination in 1 -3 days.Patients with the vascular stenosis rate≥50% were defined as the CAD group,patients with the completely normal angiographic results were included in the normal control group according to the results of angiography.The parametric differences between the patients and the normal control subjects were compared.Results In the normal control subjects,the ventricular segmental wall amplitude >5mm accounted for 78.67%,the ventricular wall thickening fractions >30% accounted for 99.13%.But in CAD group,the ventricular segmental wall amplitude <4mm accounted for 61.14%,<5mm accounted for 93.47%,the abnormal ventricular wall thickening fractions <30% accounted for 88.43%.The sensitivity, specificity,accuracy of AMM were 77.47%,90.00%,77.39% respectively.Conclusion The ventricular wall thickening fractions of AMMhas quite significant correlation with morbid blood vessel in patients with CAD,they are effective reference indicators to evaluate the left ventricular wall motion quantitatively.

Objective To explore the preliminarily clinical value of strain rate parameters using velocity vector imaging (VVI) evaluating left ventricular regional endocardial systolic function in patients with coronary artery heart disease (CAD).Methods A total of eight six inner subjects who were suspected as CAD was enrolled in the study.Patients with the vascular stenosis rate ≥ 50％ were defined as the CAD group,patients with the vascular stenosis rate ＜ 50％ were defined as the coronary atherosclerosis group,and patients with the completely normal angiographic results were included in the control group,according to the results of angiography.The left ventricular endocardial systolic strain rate parameters of VVI were obtained in standard long axis views (apical two,three,and four-chamber view) and short axis views (at the level of the mitral valve,papillary muscles,and apex).The strain rate parameters were global longitudinal endocardial systolic strain rate in the apical two,three,and four-chamber views (A2-GLSRs,A3-GLSRs,and A4-GLSRs),global radial endocardial systolic strain rate in short axis view of the mitral valve level,papillary muscles,and apex (MV-GRSRs,PM-GRSRs,and AP-GRSRs),and global circumferential endocardial systolic strain rate in short axis view of the mitral valve level,papillary muscles,and apex (MV-GCSRs,PM-GCSRs,and AP-GCSRs).The parametric differences were compared among three groups.Results All the subjects included in the present study had normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and there was no significant difference in LVEF across three groups.Compared to other groups,the control group had significantly higher E/A ratio.The LV endocardial systolic strain rate parameters were all significantly reduced in the CAD group compared to the control group and the coronary atherosclerosis group (all P ＜ 0.05).Compared to the control group[(-1.37 ± 0.25)/s],the coronary atherosclerosis group [(-1.12 ± 0.42)/s] had significantly lower MV-GCSRs (P ＜0.01).Conclusions VVI is useful for quantitative assessment of the left ventricular systolic function in CAD.MV-GCSRs might have the potential to predict early left ventricle (LV) systolic dysfunction in subjects with coronary artery stenosis ＜ 50％.

Objective To investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs13333226 in uromodulin (UMOD) gene with diabetic kidney diseases (DKD) in Han population in Tianjin,China.Methods A total of 210 type 2 diabetes (T2DM),90 normal controls (NC) and 280 DKD patients were recruited.According to the level of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR),the DKD subjects were further subdivided into three groups:GFR≥90 ml/min group (n=105),60 ml/mim≤GFR ＜ 90 ml/min group (n=84) and GFR ＜ 60 ml/min group (n=91).Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used for UMOD rs13333226C genotyping.Results The frequencies of AA,GA,GG genotype were 27.8％,58.9％,13.3％ in NC group and 41.0％,48.6％,10.5％ in T2DM group and 54.3％,36.1％,9.6％ in DKD group.The frequency of G allele was 42.8％ in NC group,34.8％ in T2DM group and 27.7％ in DKD group.The genotype distribution of UMOD was statistically significant between NC group and DKD group,and between T2DM group and DKD group (P ＜ 0.05).G allele of UMOD was an independent protective gene polymorphism of DKD in Logistic regression (B=-0.248,Wald=8.012,P=0.021,OR=0.780,95％ CI 0.612-0.968).Conclusion The G allele of UMOD gene may be an independent protective factor of DKD in Han population in Tianjin,China.

Objective To investigate the effect of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin on endothelial function in diabetics with coronary heart disease. Methods A total of 73 consecutive diabetics with coronary heart disease who were not receiving statins were randomized to receive atorvastatin 20 mg/d or rosuvastatin 10 mg/d. The levels of lipids, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP), monoxide nitrogen(NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and endothclium-dependent relaxing function(EDF) were assessed before and after 3 months of the treatment. Results The treatment with statins significantly improved endothelial function in diabetics with coronary heart disease. For both rosuvastatin group and atorvastatin group in pro-treatment versus post-treatment, EDF was higher[(5.2±2.4)% vs. (7.9±3.1)%, P=0.008; (5.0±2.8)% vs. (7.6±3.6)%, P=0.024, respectively], NO was also higher((46.6±14.5) μmmol/L vs. (73.3±18.5) μmmol/L; (51.7±14.0) μmmol/L vs. (79.8±16.0) μmmol/L,both P<0.001], ET-1 was lower[(108.2±29.6) pg/L vs. (77.5±26.4) pg/L, P =0.005;(117.1±34.5) pg/L vs. (80.7±28.2) pg/L, P= 0.003, respectively],and hs-CRP was lower[3.17(1.33～6.32) mg/Lvs. 1.39(0.81～2.58) mg/L, P=0.006; 3.43(1.51～7.02) mg/L vs. 1.63(0.69～3.11) mg/L, P = 0.001, respectively]. There were no differences in these between rosuvastatin group and atorvastatin group. Significant negative correlation existed between EDF and hs-CRP. Conclusions A 3 months treatment with either atorvastatin 20 mg/d or rosuvastatin 10 mg/d is effective in improving endothelial function in diabetics with coronary heart disease.

Objective To study the role of photoallergens and contact allergens in the pathogenesis of chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD).Methods Ba sed on the standard procedures of photopatch test recommended by the British Pho todermatology Group (BPG) and the routine procedures of patch test,photopatch a nd patch tests were performed on 56 patients with CAD,42 patients with polymorp hous light eruption (PLE) and 25 patients with chronic eczema on scalp and face by standard photopatch test series recommended by the International Contact Derm atitis Research Group (ICDRG) and home-made standard series of contact allerge ns.A set of ten Philips TL20W/09N tubes was used as the source of irradiation.Results In the 56 CAD patients,the positive rates were 46.43 %,57.14 % and 32.14% for photopatch test,patch test and both tests,respectively,which appea red to be significantly higher than those in the patients with PLE.Positive pa tch reactions were found in 65% of the patients with chronic eczema,which was s imilar to that of CAD.And the frequency of the positive allergens in chronic ec zema was the same as that in CAD,in which fragrance mixture (FM) ranked the fir st,followed by balsam of Peru (BOP),cobalt chloride,nickel sulphate.In CAD,FM and BOP were the most common allergens and photoallergens,which accounted fo r 44% and 32% of the positive reactions in patch tests,15.38% and 17.95% in pho topatch tests,respectively.Conclusions Both photoallergens and contact aller gens may play important roles in the pathogenesis of CAD.Allergens positive in patch tests and photopatch tests and related compounds which can cause cross-r eactivity with the above allergens should be avoided by the patients with CAD.

Objective To study the relationship of sunlight exposure and photoprotection with clinical activity in systemic lupus erythematosus. Methods A structured questionaire was administered to 107 SLE patients, to assess their attitudes and behavior regarding sunlight exposure and photoprotection. The clinical manifestations, laboratory findings and treatment were evaluated. Results All patients were classified into two groups based on the duration of exposure to sunlight per day. Fourty-eight (44.86%) patients were exposed to direct sunlight for an average of less than one hour per day in one group and 59 (55.14%) for one hour or more in the other group. Twenty-four (22.43%) patients reported use of photoprotective measures in spring and summer. The patients in the former group had significantly lower incidences of photosensitivity, arthritis, alopecia, exacerbations, presence of anti-dsDNA antibody, decrease of complement C3, C4 and CH50 than those in the latter group(P

Objective To determine the normal range of minimal erythema dose (MED) of normal skin to ultraviolet A (UVA) and B (UVB). Methods The definition of MED is the dose of UVA required to induce a just perceptible erythema on an individual′s skin 24 hours after irradiation. One hundred and eighteen subjects including healthy volunteers and patients with noninflammatory skin disorders were enrolled and studied with SUV1000 type UV simulator in March 2002. Results The average MED value for UVA was 55 J/cm2 (range: 18 - 95 J/cm2) in the males, and 40 J/cm2 (range: 15 - 100 J/cm2) in the females. The average MED value for UVB was 31 mJ/cm2 (range: 12 - 95 mJ/cm2) in the males and 29 mJ/cm2 (range: 8 - 95 mJ/cm2) in the females. The MED value for UVA in the males was significantly higher than that in the females (P 0.05). The MED values for UVA as well as UVB in skin type Ⅲ were significantly lower than those in skin type Ⅳ (UVA-MED: P