AIM: To investigate the effect of Z,E-butylidedephthalide (Bdph) on laser-induced experimental choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in rat model and choroid blood flow in rabbits'eyes.METHODS: Male Brown Norway rats were treated with Nd:YAG laser to break Bruch's membrane. Thirty mg/kg and 15 mg/kg Bdph were given daily through intraperitoneal injection for 4 weeks after laser treatment. Fluorescein angiography (FA) and choroidal flat mount were used to measure the development of CNV. Female New Zealand white rabbits' eyes were instilled with 10g/L Z,E-butylidenephthalide solution,and ocular blood flow was measured with colored microsphere technique. RESULTS: The intensity of fluorescein leakage, indicating the ocular lesion, decreased significantly in group Bdph 30mg/kg and 15mg/kg, as compared to the control at P＜0.01.The area of neovascularization checked by FA in both groups of Bdph, at 30mg/kg and 15mg/kg decreased significantly compared to the control group at P＜0.05. On the choroid flat mount, the areas of CNV were also smaller in both Bdph groups than in control group. One percent Z,E-butylidenephthalide solution instilled into rabbits' eyes could improve the choroid blood flow at 30 and 60 minutes after drug instillation (P＜0.05).CONCLUSION: Z,E-butylidedephthalide could inhibit the development of CNV in the rat eyes and increase the choroid blood flow in the rabbit eyes. These results suggest that Z,E-butylidedephthalide may be a good agent for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration(ARMD).

Ascoviruses, iridoviruses, asfarviruses and poxviruses are all cytoplasmic DNA viruses. The evolutionary origins of cytoplasmic DNA viruses have never been fully addressed. Morphological, genetic and molecular data were used to test if all four cytoplasmic virus families (Ascoviridae, Iridoviridae, Asfarviridae, and Poxvirirdae) evolved from nuclear replicating baculoviruses and how the four virus groups are related. Molecular phylogenetic analyses using DNA polymerase predicted that cytoplasmic DNA viruses might have evolved from nuclear replicating baculoviruses, and that poxviruses and asfarviruses share a common ancestor with iridoviruses. These three cytoplasmic viruses again shared a common ancestor with ascoviruses. Morphological and genetic data predicted the same evolutionary trend as molecular data predicted. A genome sequence comparison showed that ascoviruses have more baculovirus protein homologues than do iridoviruses, which suggested that ascoviruses have evolved from baculoviruses and iridoviruses evolved from ascoviruses. Poxviruses showed genetic and morphological similarity to other cytoplamic viruses, such as ascoviruses, suggesting it has undergone reticulate evolution via hybridization, recombination and lateral gene transfer with other viruses. Within the ascovirus family, we tested if molecular phylogenetic analyses agree with biological inference; that is, ascovirus had an evolutionary trend of increasing genome size, expanding host range and widening tissue tropism for these viruses. Both molecular and biological data predicted this evolutionary trend. The phylogenetic relationship among the four species of ascovirus was predicted to be that TnAV-2 and HvAV-3 shared a common ancestor with SfAV-1 and the three virus species again shared a common ancestor with DpAV-4.

Normal rhythm in a healthy human heart originates from the natural biological pacemaker, the sinoatrial (SA) node which locates in the right atrium. SA node dysfunction or atrial-ventricular (AV) conduction block causes improper heart rate (bradycardia). Such dysfunction, if severe enough, is currently treated by implanting an electronic pacemaker which has been well established technically, but there are some limitations and inadequacies. Recently, progress in developing engineered cardiac biopacemakers with use of genes or cells has been made in experimental animal models. The hyperpolarization-activated cyclic-nucleotide-modulated (HCN) channel (pacemaker channel) modulates cardiac automaticity via the hyperpolarization-activated cation current (I(f)). HCN genes have been delivered to animal myocardium via viral vectors or HCN-transferred cells for recreating biological pacemakers. Approaches with non-HCN genes or transplantation of beating cells are also novel and have been investigated for generating cardiac biopacers. This article summarizes the progresses in research on recreation of cardiac biopacemakers. Genetically engineered biological pacemaker holds great promise to potentially cure severe bradycardia if critical issues, such as their stability and longevity, are properly solved.
Biological Clocks ; physiology ; Bradycardia ; therapy ; Genetic Engineering ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Ion Channels ; Myocardium ; Pacemaker, Artificial ; Sinoatrial Node

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux ; diagnosis ; therapy

Objective To explore the relationship between need for cognitive closure and hardiness of elderly cancer patients, to provide references for nurses health education.Methods Two hundreds and fifty seven elderly cancer patients participated in the survey using chinese version of need for cognitive closure scale and hardiness scale.Results Patients need for cognitive closure score was (128.82 ±12.45), decisive dimension was (54.57 ±6.03) , and the demand for the structure dimension was (74.25 ±7.83) .The overall average score of hardiness was (2.54 ±0.31), the total score was (68.57 ±6.15).Patients’ need for cognitive closure and hardiness was negatively related.Two dimensions of cognitive closure could predict hardiness, combined predict rate was 42.5%.Conclusions The elderly cancer patients need for cognitive closure degree is low and hardiness level is well.Need for cognitive closure could predict hardiness.Nurses should encourage patients to become low need for cognitive closure, to increase the hardiness and improve their quality of life.

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether green tea consumption can reduce the risk of adult leukemia.

METHODSA hospital-based matched case-control study was conducted in 2005 - 2006. We recruited 107 confirmed leukemia cases and 110 inpatient controls with orthopedic disease without leukemia or other malignancy matched on gender, age and hospitals that patients stayed. Related information were gathered on quantity, duration and frequency of tea consumption, demographic characteristics, exposure to radiation and occupational hazards, medications, using a validated questionnaire by face-to-face interview. Univariate and multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with SPSS 11.5 software.

RESULTSCompared with non-tea-drinkers, the OR of those who consumed green tea was 0.58 (95% CI:0.34-1.00, P< 0.05) under univariate statistical analysis. The OR was 0.52 ( 95% CI: 0.28- 0.98, P = 0.04), using logistic regression to count for age, gender, residential area, smoking, level of education, exposure to radiation, benzene and organo-phosphorus. Compared with non-drinkers, the risk of adult leukemia declined with increasing quantity, duration, and frequency of green tea consumption. Tests for trend on dose-response was statistically significant (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONA higher consumption of green tea seemed to be associated with a declined risk of adult leukemia. Tea consumption might be of help to human health planning projects.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Leukemia ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tea

OBJECTIVETo investigate the underlying mechanism of apoptosis-inducing effect of a specific COX-2 inhibitor SC236 in gastric cancer cells.

METHODSWestern blot analysis was used to measure apoptosis-related proteins, cytochrome c, and caspase-3. The catalytic activity of the caspases was measured using a colorimetric assay.

RESULTSTreatment of AGS gastric cancer cells with SC236 caused a significant elevation of the pro-apoptotic protein Bak, release of cytochrome c to the cytosol, and activation of caspase-3. A specific caspase-3 inhibitor, z-DEVD-fmk, blocked SC236-induced apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONSC236 inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in gastric cancer cells at least partly through the up-regulation of Bak, stimulation of cytochrome c release, and activation of caspase-3.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; Caspases ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Cytochromes c ; metabolism ; Humans ; Oligopeptides ; pharmacology ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases ; metabolism ; Pyrazoles ; pharmacology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Sulfonamides ; pharmacology ; bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein ; metabolism

Animals ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Thalidomide ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

BACKGROUNDFew literatures pertain to the 16S ribosomal DNA (16S rDNA) analysis of bacteria contributing to primary and persistent endodontic lesions, with no information available for the Chinese population. As such, we investigated endodontic bacteria associated with primary and persistent endodontic lesions in adult Chinese patients living in Beijing, China using 16S rDNA gene sequencing techniques.

METHODSEndodontic microbial samples were obtained from fourteen adult Chinese patients and subjected to DNA extraction. Pllymerase chain reaction (PCR) products were cloned and 100 clones from each generated library were randomly selected. Purified plasmid DNA with 16S rDNA gene inserts was sequenced, and the sequences were searched against GenBank databases using the BLASTN algorithm. Only significant identification with the highest-scored BLAST result and 99% minimum similarity was considered for phylotyping.

RESULTSMore than 150 taxa were obtained. Primary endodontic infection was mainly associated with Burkholderia cepacia, Actinomyces, Aranicola spp. and Streptococcus sanguinis, whilst Burkholderia cepacia was predominant in the persistent endodontic infections.

CONCLUSIONThere is a difference in the species profile associated with endodontic infections of Chinese patients living in Beijing in comparison to other geographical or ethnic reports.

Bacteria ; classification ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; China ; DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pulpitis ; microbiology ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the microstructure and mechanical properties of a new IPS-Empress 2 dental glass-ceramic.

METHODSAFM, SEM and XRD were used to analyze the microstructure and crystal phase of IPS-Empress 2 glass-ceramic. The flexural strength and fracture toughness were tested using 3-point bending method and indentation method respectively.

RESULTSIPS-Empress 2 glass-ceramic mainly consisted of lithium disilicate crystal, lithium phosphate and glass matrix, which formed a continuous interlocking structure. The crystal phases were not changed before and after hot-pressed treatment. AFM showed nucleating agent particles of different sizes distributed on the highly polished ceramic surface. The strength and fracture toughness were 300 MPa and 3.1 MPam(1/2).

CONCLUSIONThe high strength and fracture toughness of IPS-Empress 2 glass ceramic are attributed to the fine lithium disilicate crystalline, interlocking microstructure and crack deflection.

Aluminum Silicates ; chemistry ; Compressive Strength ; Dental Porcelain ; chemistry ; Materials Testing ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Tensile Strength ; X-Ray Diffraction