Background Studies showed that inflammatory process participates in the pathogenesis anddevelopment of diabetic retinopathy targeting retinal vascular endothelial cells (RVECs).A growing body of evidence revealed that metformin reduces the risk of micro-and macro-vascular complications by protecting blood-brain barrier,however,whether it plays a protective effect on human retinal vascular by similar mechanism is still unelucidated.Objective This study was to investigate the effects of metformin on the proliferation,migration and secreting monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) of human retinal vascular endothelial cells (RVECs) under the stimulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α).Methods RVECs were cultured and divided into normal control group,metformin (5 mmol/L) group,TNF-α 2.5 ng/ml group,and TNF-α+metformin (5,10,20 and 40 mmol/L,respectively) groups.Corresponding drugs were added into medium according to grouping for 24 hours.Cell numbers were calculated before and after treatment.The metabolic activity (absorbancy) of RVECs was measured with MTS assay.Cell migration of RVECs was assessed with transwell migration assay.The MCP-1 and IL-8 concentrations in the cell supernatant were detected by ELISA assay.Results The number of the cells was significantly different among the normal control group,metformin group,TNF-α group,and TNF-α+metformin (5,10,20 and 40 mmol/L,respectively) groups (F =189.31,P ＜ 0.01).The metabolic activities of RVECs were 0.32 + 0.02,0.32±0.03,0.97 ± 0.02,0.90 ± 0.05,0.76 ± 0.15,0.74 ± 0.05 and 0.41 ± 0.03;migrated cell numbers were (1 214±49),(1 200±45),(1 648±43),(1 309±48),(1 279±73),(961±60) and (942±106)/field;the concentrations of MCP-1 were (0.385 ±0.050),(0.362±0.060),(2.285 ±0.200),(1.131 ±0.180),(0.622 ± 0.120),(0.537±0.090) and (0.492±0.130) μg/ml,and those of IL-8 were (0.385±0.080),(0.390±0.120),(1.123±0.130),(0.899±0.180),(0.680±0.060),(0.417±0.090) and (0.335±0.100) μg/ml in the normal control group,metformin group,TNF-α group,and TNF-α + metformin (5,10,20 and 40 mmol/L,respectively) groups,showing significant differences among the groups (F =73.31,103.89,150.92,268.32,all at P＜ 0.01).The cell number,cell metabolic activity,migrated cell number,and MCP-1 and IL-8 levels in the cell supernatant were evidently increased in the TNF-α group compared with the normal control group,and those in the TNF-α+10 mmol/L metformin group,TNF-e +20 mmol/L metformin group and TNF-α+40 mmol/L metformin group were significantly decreased in comparison with the TNF-α group (all at P＜0.05).Conclusions Metformin can inhibit TNF-α-induced proliferation,migration and MCP-1 and IL-8 secretion of the cells,and therefore plays a protective role on RVECs in the inflammatory environment.

Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is defined as a congenital vascular anomaly that shunts blood from arteries to veins with no capillary perfusion. In some rare hereditary diseases, including capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation (CM-AVM), hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), PTEN hamartoma-tumor syndrome (PHTS), AVM is generally considered the characteristic clinic presentation. This review primarily focused on the mechanisms of genetic regulation during embryonic vasculature development, genetic mutations in TGF-beta signaling pathway of HHT, PTEN mutations in PHTS and genetic screening of CM-AVM. In addition, current findings in somatic mutations of extracranial AVM were discussed as well. This review aimed to provide insight into the etiology to help the diagnosis and treatment of extracranial AVM in clinic.

Objective: To explore and evaluate the approach of fat repositioning into premaxillary and prezygomatic spaces combined with intraoral fixation in transconjunctival lower blepharoplasty. Methods: 17 patients (2 males and 15 females) who underwent this approach from Aug, 2018 to Feb, 2019 were reviewed. Their average age was 36.88±8.80 years old (range, 24 to 55 years old). A 1.0-1.5 cm transverse transconjunctival incision was made. After blunt dissection of premaxillary and prezygomatic spaces, orbital fat were released and sutured with 1-2 absorbable sutures. Via the guidance of astraight needle through the a forementioned spaces, a small incision was made at the upper vestibular labial side. The orbital fat was pulled down according to the consensus between surgeon and patient and fixed upon the small intraoral incision. All incisions didn′t need to be sutured. Results: The mean follow up was 3.53±1.71 months (range, 1 to 6 months), transconjunctival and intraoral incisons healed well. Palpebral bags and tear trough deformity were obviously improved. Postoperatively, 2 patients felt a transient tractive feeling in the midface region 1 week after surgery, which spontaneously recovered within 1 to 2 weeks. One patient had red, swollen and painful skin beside the right nasal alar one month after the operation, and the symptoms disappeared after 3-day intravenous infusion of cefradine. No lower eyelid retraction, ectropion, hematoma and other complications were observed. Conclusions This novel approach can achieve periorbital rejuvenation and improve the contour of the lower eyelid and mid-face for patients of all the ages with eyelid bags, tear trough deformity, and midfacial depression, but without severe skin laxity.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic, progressive, fatal interstitial lung disease with limited available therapeutic strategies. We recently reported that the protein kinase glycogen synthase kinase-3