AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of vitrectomy and pan-retinal photocoagulation followed with Ahmed implantation in management of neovascular glaucoma ( NVG) retrospectively.
METHODS: Vitrectomy combined with pan retinal photocoagulation and Ahmed implantation was performed on 15 cases ( 15 eyes ) with NVG. All patients were followed up for 12 ~ 36mo. The change of intraocular pressure (IOP), visual acuity, neovascularization of iris, complications were observed.
RESULTS: The visual acuity of 10 eyes was improved postoperative. IOP of postoperative 1, 6 and 12mo were decreased significantly compared with preoperative ( P<0.01 ) . Neovascularization of iris was reduced dramatically. No serious complications occurred.
CONCLUSION: Vitrectomy combined with pan retinal photocoagulation followed Ahmed implantation can manage NVG effectively.

Background:A recent perspective European study has shown that Chronic Liver Failure-Consortium Organ Failure score(CLIF-C OFs)is an effective diagnostic criteria for acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF)in alcoholic or hepatitis C virus patients with acute decompensation(AD). Aims:To assess the efficacy of CLIF-C OFs for distinguishing ACLF in non-hepatitis B virus(HBV)-related chronic liver disease patients with AD. Methods:A total of 274 consecutive non-HBV-related chronic liver disease patients with AD from Jan. 2005 to Dec. 2010 at Shanghai Ren Ji Hospital were enrolled. Patients were divided into three groups:ACLF at admission,ACLF developed within 28-day and non-ACLF according to CLIF-C OFs criteria. Clinical and biochemistry characteristics,severity of the disease and 28-day and 90-day mortality data between ACLF and non-ACLF groups were analyzed. Results:Of the patients assessed,40 had ACLF at admission,27 had ACLF developed within 28-day,207 remained not having ACLF. Patients in ACLF group had higher TB,Cr,INR,ALT,AST,ALB,WBC,score of Child-Pugh,CTP,MELD,MELD-Na than non-ACLF patients(P <0. 05),and were younger in age(P < 0. 01). Incidences of hepatic,renal,cerebral,coagulation,circulation and lung failure,28-day mortality,90-day mortality were significantly higher in ACLF group than in non-ACLF patients( P <0. 01). However,no significant differences were seen in the characteristics mentioned above between ACLF at admission group and ACLF developed at 28-day group(P > 0. 05). TB level at admission and infection occurred within 28-day were the risk factors for developing ACLF(P < 0. 05). Conclusions:ACLF constitutes a more severe subgroup in non-HBV-related chronic liver disease patients with AD,and CLIF-C OFs could help to distinguish ACLF patients out from non-HBV-related chronic liver disease patients with AD.

The genomes of umbraviruses do not encode a coat protein, and thus no conventional virus particles are formed in infected plants. Umbraviruses are always coinfected with an assistor virus, which is always a member of the family Luteoviridae, to cause most devastating diseases in some areas. The epidemiology of the umbra-virus-caused disease is largely depended on aphid transmission. The symptomology, occurrence, characteristics of the causal agents, disease control of carrot motley dwarf, groundnut rosette and tobacco bushy top were reviewed detailedly in this article.

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of learning and memory dysfuction in the transgenic mouse expressing human tau 40 isoform with P301L mutation (F10).

METHODSThe human tau protein expression and phosphor-tau protein levels were detected with Western blot method. The neurofibrillary tangles were observed with Bielshowsky silver stain. The behavior changes of learning and memory were observed by open field test and passive avoidance test. Acetyleholine level, activities of acetycholinesterase and choline acetyltransferase of whole brain was detected by colorimetry method. The nitric oxide level of whole brain was detected by nitrate enzyme reduction method.

RESULTSExogenous human tau gene was expressed and an elevation of phosphor-tau protein level in 7 and 3-month transgenic mice's hippocampus andcerebrocortex was observed. The neurofibrillary tangles were observed in cerebrocortex of 7-month transgenic mice; the 7-month transgenic mice also presented an evident reduction of learning and memory ability and nitric oxide level of the whole brain, but not changes in acetylcholine level, acetycholinesterase activity, choline acetyltransferase activity and expression in whole brain.

CONCLUSIONTau transgenic mice (F10) can still inherit their parents' biologiccal characters, and develop learning and memory dysfunction awnodh san obvious decrease in nitric oxide level of whole brain in the 7-month old mice, suggesting a decrease of nitric oxide level of whole brain would be involved in the mechanism of learning and memory dysfunction in these transgenic mice.

Acetylcholine ; metabolism ; Acetylcholinesterase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Brain ; physiopathology ; Choline O-Acetyltransferase ; metabolism ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Memory Disorders ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Mutation ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism

We predicted the anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) active components and mechanism of Salvia miltiorrhiza based on network pharmacology. The active components of S. miltiorrhiza were obtained through TCMSP, PubChem database and literature research. The potential targets of the active components and HBV infection were predicted by SwissTargetPrediction and GeneCards databases, respectively. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by String database. Cytoscape software was adopted to construct a visual network of active component-disease target and perform topological analysis. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using DAVID platform. The molecular docking of key components and core targets was carried out by AutoDock Vina software. We screened out a total of 38 active components and 178 disease-component overlapping targets. Enrichment analyses obtained 405 related GO items and 68 signaling pathways, such as T/B cell receptor signaling pathways, PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and mTOR signaling pathway. According to the results of molecular docking, most characteristic components of S. miltiorrhiza (miltionone Ⅱ, miltirone, protocatechuic acid, lithospermic acid, protocatechualdehyde) showed good affinity with the key targets (PIK3CA, APP, STAT3,AKT1 and mTOR). Furthermore, the anti-HBV activity of lithospermic acid, the representative active component of S. miltiorrhiza, and its regulation on PI3K/AKT and mTOR signaling pathways were investigated in an HBV replicating mouse model. Animal welfare and experimental procedures follow the regulations of the Animal Ethics and Welfare Committee of Hubei University. The results showed that lithospermic acid significantly inhibited HBV DNA replication, reduced serum HBsAg and HBeAg levels, and decreased the phosphorylation protein expression levels of AKT and mTOR in liver, indicating that lithospermic acid might exert the anti-HBV activity by regulating PI3K/AKT and mTOR signaling pathways.

Objective To explore the changes of plasma angiotensinⅡ (AngⅡ) and cardiac function,and the curative effect of children with acute viral myocarditis (VMC) treated with captopril(CAP).Methods Concentrations of plasma AngⅡ were measured with radio-immunity and cardiac function was detected by Doppler echocardiography for the VMC group (n=60) before and after treatment [the CAP group (n=30), the routine group (n=30) and the control group (n=30)].Results 1. The level of plasma AngⅡ significantly increased and the contractive and diastolic function obviously declined in children with acute VMC. There was a significant difference between VMC group and control group, with a significant correlation between the level of AngⅡand the contractive diastolic function.2. Compared with the level before treatment, the level of AngⅡ decreased and the contractive function obviously ameliorated in two groups; the diastolic function obviously ameliorated in the CAP group and did not ameliorate in the routine group after treatment. In CAP group the level of AngⅡ and the cardiac function significantly improved; there were statistical differences between the two groups after treatment.Conclusions 1.The increase of the plasma AngⅡ was an important factor for decrements of the contractive and diastolic function in acute viral myocarditis.2.It could decrease the concentration of plasma AngⅡ and ameliorate cardiac function in children with acute VMC treated with captopril,which was an effective therapy for acute VMC.

Objective To investigate the effects of different doses of pituitary adenylate cyclase- activating polypeptide(PACAP)on the functional and morphological outcome in a mice model of Parkinson' s disease(PD)rendered by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(MPTP).Methods Male mice were treated with PACAP 0.02, 0.20 or 2.00 ?g by iv bolus for 7 days after MPTP was administered, and were compared with the saline-treated mice.The immunohistochemistry and Western blot were used to detect the alterations of PD biomarker including tyrosine hydroxylase(TH), dopamine transporter(DAT)and vesicular monoamine transporter2(VAMT2).In addition, monoamine neurotransmitters in the striatum of mice were measured by the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).Results TH immunohistochemistry indicated that the number of TH-positive neurons in the substantia nigra was increased in all PACAP-treated mice(PACAP(0.02 ?g/d)group was 93.33?4.87, F=85.85,P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the myocardial electrophysiological effect and its underlying mechanisms of atorvastatin (Ator) on isolated rat hearts injured by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R).

METHODSIsolated SD rat hearts were mounted on Langendorff system, and a local I/R was induced by ligation (30 min) and release (15 min) of the left anterior descending artery. During the reperfusion period, the effect of Ator on diastolic excitation threshold (DET), effective refractory period (ERP) and ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) on rat heart were measured.

RESULTCompared with the control group, medium concentration of Ator prolonged the ERP in normal rat hearts; low, medium and high concentration of Ator significantly inhibited the decrease of DET, ERP and VFT induced by I/R. However, pretreatment with L-NAME cancelled these cardiac electrophysiological effects of Ator.

CONCLUSIONAtor reduced electrophysiological alteration induced by I/R in isolated rat hearts, which may be mediated by activating nitric oxide pathway to enhance the myocardial electrophysiological stability.

Animals ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; Heart ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Heptanoic Acids ; pharmacology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Pyrroles ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVEThis study was designed to examine the in vitro effects of fenvalerate on steroid production and steroidogenic enzymes mRNA expression level in rat granulosa cells.

METHODSUsing primary cultured rat granulosa cells (rGCs) as model, fenvalerate of various concentrations (0, 1, 5, 25, 125, 625 micromol/L) was added to the medium for 24 h. In some cases, optimal concentrations of 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol (25 micromol/L), Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH, 2 mg/L), or 8-Bromo-cAMP (1 mmol/L) were provided. Concentrations of 17 beta-estradiol(E2) and progesterone (P4) in the medium from the same culture wells were measured by RIA and the steroidogenic enzyme mRNA level was quantified by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSFenvalerate decreased both P4 and E2 production in a dose-dependent manner while it could significantly stimulate rGCs proliferation. This inhibition was stronger in the presence of FSH. Furthermore, it could not be reversed by 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol or 8-Bromo-cAMP. RT-PCR revealed that fenvalerate had no significant effect on 3 beta-HSD, but could increase the P450scc mRNA level. In addition, 17 beta-HSD mRNA level was dramatically reduced with the increase of fenvalerate dose after 24 h treatment.

CONCLUSIONFenvalerate inhibits both P4 and E2 production in rGCs. These results support the view that fenvalerate is considered as a kind of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The mechanism of its disruption may involve the effects on steroidogenesis signaling cascades and/or steroidogenic enzyme's activity.

3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases ; analysis ; metabolism ; 8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cells, Cultured ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Estradiol ; analysis ; metabolism ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; pharmacology ; Granulosa Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Hydroxycholesterols ; pharmacology ; Nitriles ; pharmacology ; Progesterone ; analysis ; metabolism ; Pyrethrins ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; metabolism ; Rats ; Steroids ; metabolism

Aim To evaluate the effects of salvianolic acid B ( Sal B ) on bone metabolism and its potential mechanism in high fat diet ( HFD) mice.Methods Thirty C57BL/6J male mice were divided into three groups with 10 mice each, namely normal , HFD and HFD+Sal B.HFD and HFD+Sal B mice were treated with HFD, and HFD+Sal B group mice were also with Sal B (125 mg· kg -1· d-1).After 12 weeks' treat-ment, femurs were harvested .The effects of Sal B on biomechanical strength were evaluated by biomechani-cal tests, and the effects of Sal B on bone microstruc-ture were evaluated by Safranin O/fast green staining and hematoxylin and eosin staining .The expression of nuclear factor-kappa B ( NF-κB)-p65 and NADPH ox-idase 4 ( Nox4 ) and cathepsin K in femurs was deter-mined by immunohistochemical staining . Results Maximum load and elastic load significantly decreased ,and the trabeculae became thinner and irregular in the femurs of HFD mice , while Sal B treatment could re-verse the descending biomechanical strength and the disorganized femurs bone micro-structures in HFD mice.In addition, the expressions of Nox4, NF-κB-p65 and cathepsin Kmarkedly increased in HFD mice , and Sal B possessed the ability to down-regulate the ex-pression of Nox4, NF-κB-p65, and cathepsin K in the femurs triggered by HFD .Conclusions Sal B treat-ment improves bone metabolism via regulating Nox 4/NF-κB/cathepsin K signaling pathway in HFD mice . The findings contribute to the understanding and exten-sion of the applications of Salvia miltiorrhiza and its constituents on osteoporosis .