Objective: Fungal keratitis is one of the most common diseases leading to blindness.It has a high incidence in China,and its early diagnosis and treatment are of vital importance.We aimed to investigate the value of laser confocal corneal microscopy in the clinical diagnosis of fungal keratitis.Methods: We conducted laser confocal corneal microscopy on 37 patients suspected of fungal keratitis,and compared the results with those obtained from the corneal tissue smears and fungal cultivation.Results: The fungus-infected corneas histologically exhibited defected epithelial cells,damaged subepithelial nerves and disordered stroma with reduced transparence.The hyphae showed bright,disordered,interlaced thread-or short rod-like structures.The positive rates of smear examination,fungus cultivation and laser confocal corneal microscopy were 48.65,62.16 and 78.39% for the 37 eyes,75.00,87.50 and100% for the 16 untreated eyes,and 28.57,42.85 and 61.90% for the other 21 pretreated eyes.Conclusion: Confocal laser corneal microscopy,rapid,effective and noninvasive,can be used as an important new alternative in the diagnosis of fungal keratitis

Objective:Acute retinal necrosis syndrome(ARNS) is a rare disease with high blinding rate.The surgery of vitrectomy,endolaser photocoagulation and silicone oil injection is considered an effective treatment of ARNS.The study investigated the effect of vitrectomy,endolaser photocoagulation and silicone oil injection treating ARNS.Methods:A consecutive 16 eyes of 16 patients with ARNS were treated with vitrectomy,endolaser photocoagulation and silicone oil injection.The 5 eyes without retinal detachment were photocoagulated from the posterior border of necrosis to the ora serrata.The 11 eyes with retinal detachment were treated with subtotal retinal photocoagulation,air/fluid exchange and silicone oil injection.The follow-up time were 6 months at least,16 months in average.Results:The final best-correcting visual acuity was counting fingers in 3 eyes(18.8%),0.02-0.3 in 7 eyes(43.8%),0.4-0.6 in 5 eyes(31.3%),0.7 in 1 eye(6.3%).The silicone oil was uneventfully removed in 14 patients(87.5%) from 3 to 12 months.No one had a recurrent retinal detachment.Conclusion:There is a favorable effect in ARNS with the treatment of vitrectomy,endolaser photocoagulation and silicone oil injection.

BACKGROUND: Cardiospecific proteins of the troponin-tropomyosin complex in the contractile system of the cardiomyocytes have challenged creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB) as the "gold standard" for the early biochemical detection of acute myocardial injury.OBJECTIVE: To investigate cardiac troponin Ⅰ messager RNA (cTnI-mRNA) in peripheral blood and its clinical values in diagnosis of patients with myocardial injury.DESIGN: A basic and observational study for set up a method to analyze cTnI-mRNA.SETTING: Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital, Nantong University.MATERIALS: The project was accomplished from May 2003 to May 2005 in Research Center of Clinical Molecular Biology, and Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital, Nantong University. The cTnI-mRNA was detected from blood by a nested PCR assay, and its clinical values as a sensitive myocardial diagnostic marker were confirmed in patients with myocardial injury.METHODS: Pathologic features and microstructure of cardiac myocytes were examined by H&E staining or electron microscopy. The cTnI-mRNA was extracted from blood and synthesized to cDNA through random primers and reverse transcriptase, and amplified by a nested PCR assay, and its clinical values as a myocardial diagnostic marker were investigated in patients with myocardial injury.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Microstructure of cardiomyocytes, sensitivity of analysis method and diagnostic values.RESULTS: Microstructure of cardiomyocytes with mitochondria swell,rupture, vacancy-like denaturation, nucleus abnormality, and chromatin condensed were observed by electron microscopy. The cTnI-mRNA fragments from heart and blood were successfully amplified and the sensitivity was 2 pg/μL. The product sequences from tissues or blood were confirmed by sequencing. The cTnI-mRNA from cardiac myocytes was found that it present in blood plasma and not in circulating nucleus cell. The incidence of blood cTnI-mRNA of chronic cardiomyopathy was significantly higher (P ＜ 0.05) than that of serum enzymatic patterns or cTnI quality,respectively.CONCLUSION: The analysis of blood cTnI-mRNA is a sensitive marker for diagnosis and monitoring of myocardial injury.

Cardiac toxicity is found in frequently used chemotherapeutic agents.There are many factors related to the cardiac toxicity caused by chemotherapeutic agents.The common cardiovascular complications include heart failure,ischemia,hypertension,hypotension,edema,QT prolongation,pleural effusion,pericardial effusion,bradyarrhythmia and thromboembolism.It is necessary to monitor the left ventricular function before and after chemotherapy and take effective measures to protect myocardium.

Objective: To examine expression patterns of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and its activated form, phosphorylated FAK (pFAK),in human osteosarcoma and to investigate the correlation of FAK expression with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis. Functional consequence of manipulating FAK protein levels was also investigated in human osteosarcoma cell lines. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect FAK and pFAK levels in pathologically archived materials from 113 patients with primary osteosarcoma. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate prognoses. The role of FAK in cytological behavior of MG63 and 143B human osteosarcoma cell lines was studied via the FAK protein knockdown with siRNA. Cell proliferation, migration, invasiveness, and apoptosis were assessed using cell counting kit-8, Transwell, and Annexin V/PI staining methods. Results: Both FAK and pFAK were overexpressed in osteosarcoma patients. Tumor cells exhibited cytoplasmicity and occasional membranous immunoreactivity for FAK. A total of 42 cases (37.17%) mainly showed expressed pFAK in cytoplasm of osteosarcoma cells. No overexpression staining of anti-FAK and anti-pFAK antibodies was observed in normal cancellous bone tissues or negative controls. Significant differences were observed in overall survival between FAK-/pFAK- and FAK+/pFAK- groups (P=0.016), FAK+/pFAK- and FAK+/pFAK+ groups (P=0.012), and FAK-/pFAK- and FAK+/pFAK+ groups (P<0.001). All groups showed similar metastasis-free survival. Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that FAK expression profile is an independent indicator of both overall andmetastasis-free survival. siRNA-based knockdown of FAK significantly reducedmigration and invasion of MG63 and 143B cells and affected proliferation and apoptosis in osteosarcoma cells. Conclusion: Osteosarcoma malignancies in vitro and in vivo were correlated with overexpression and phosphorylation of FAK. These findings suggest that FAK plays an important biological role in osteosarcoma carcinogenesis. This study provides a better understanding of diagnostic and prognostic relevance of FAK overexpression and phosphorylation in osteosarcoma patients. Therefore, FAK and pFAK can be used as independent predictors of overall and metastasis-free survival in osteosarcoma patients.

Background Phlyctenular ophthalmia is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction to some microprotein and affected mainly by adolescent in high incidence.Objective This study was to investigate the microscopy findings of phlyctenular ophthalmia and evaluate the histological changes by laser scanning confocal microscope.Methods Twenty-nine eyes suffered from phlyctenular ophthalmia and twenty normal eyes were examined using laser scanning confocal microscope.The pictures were taken by a CCD camera.All the cases had initially chest X-ray,tuberculin test,bacterial and mycobacteria culture.Results Dendritic and inflammatory cells were increased and concentrated in conjunctiva,and epithelial cells were deformed and squamatizated.The capillaries engorged and the goblet cells were injured.The corneoscleral Vogt meshing of the phlyctenular keratitis was obscured and dendritic cells were intruded into the corneas.The corneal epithelium of phlyctenular keratitis was absent and the subepithelial nerve plexus were bended and fractured,and the dendritic and inflammatory cells were intruded.Scarring of corneal stroma was seen under the laser scanning confocal microscope.Conclusions Laser scanning confocal microscopy is valuable for basic research and clinical diagnosis of phlyctenular ophthalmia.

Pathology is a subject that studies the etiology,pathogenesis,pathological changes,progression and outcome of diseases.Pathology links the basic research and clinical practice and is an important part of translational medicine.In order to cultivate qualified pathological graduates with solid pathological theories and the abilities of proposing and addressing scientific hypotheses from pathological morphology changes,we employ modularized special training to divide the pathology training courses into morphology learning module,article searching and reading module,project design module,experiment operation module and scientific presentation module.The training contents among these modules are relatively independent but closely connected,and compose a strategy that aims to improve the scientific innovation ability of pathological graduates.

Aim To investigate the effects of suppressor of cytokine signaling-1(SOCS-1)on advanced glycation end products(AGEs)induced-renal tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation and activation of JAK/STAT in cultured human renal tubular epithelial cells(HKC).Methods Stable transfections of HKC with pCR3.1 vector and pCR3.1/SOCS-1 were performed with Lipofectamine 2000,and cells were selected with geneticin.Cells were stimulated with BSA and AGEs. The protein expressions of SOCS-1,α-SMA,E-cadherin,Col I,signal transducer and activatior of transcription 1,3(STAT1,STAT3),p-STAT1 and p-STAT3 were observed by Western blot.The protein synthesis of TGF-β_1 in the supernatants of the HKC was detected by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay(ELISA).α-SMA and E-cadherin mRNA were measured by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results Compared with control group,the expression levels of α-SMA protein and mRNA and Col I were significantly increased in HKC with AGEs stimulation and there was a higher concentrations of TGF-β_1 in the supernatants.However,the expression of E-cadherin protein and mRNA were decreased with AGEs stimulation.Overexpression of SOCS-1 inhibited AGEs-induced activation of STAT1 and STAT3 and high expression of α-SMA protein and mRNA and Col I,and reversed the expression of E-cadherin protein and mRNA induced by AGEs.Meanwhile,overexpression of SOCS-1 reduced the concentration of TGF-β_1 in the supernatants of HKC with AGEs stimulation.Conclusion Overexpression of SOCS-1 inhibits AGEs-induced renal tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation maybe partly through blocking activation of JAK/STAT.

Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mastectomy ; methods ; Metaplasia ; pathology ; Papilloma, Intraductal ; pathology ; surgery ; Sebaceous Glands ; pathology

Objective To explore the correlation of traditional Chinese medical syndrome elements with plasma connective tissue growth factor ( CTGF) and platelet-derived growth factor ( PDGF) in early liver cirrhosis induced by type B hepatitis. Methods The distribution of traditional Chinese medical syndrome elements in early liver cirrhosis induced by type B hepatitis was analyzed, plasma contents of CTGF and PDGF were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA) , and the correlation of syndrome elements with CTGF and PDGF was discriminated. Results ( 1) The distribution of traditional Chinese medical syndrome elements in early liver cirrhosis induced by type B hepatitis showed as follows: the syndrome elements involved the viscera of liver and spleen, and the pathogenesis was characterized as dampness, heat, qi stagnation, and yin deficiency. ( 2) CTGF was closely related with spleen, gallbladder and dampness, with OR value being 1.598, 1.567, 2.797, respectively. PDGF was closely related with heat, with OR value being 1.134. Conclusion Early liver cirrhosis induced by type B hepatitis mainly affects the viscera of liver and spleen, the pathogenesis is characterized by dampness, heat, qi stagnation, and yin deficiency. The patients with higher CTGF are apt to show the pathological changes of spleen, gallbladder, dampness, and have the syndrome el-ements of spleen, gallbladder, dampness. The patients with higher PDGF are apt to show the pathological changes of heat, and have the syndrome element of heat.