Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is characterized by serous detachment of the sensory retina as a consequence of the focal leakage of fluid from the choriocapillaries to subretinal space through a defect of the retinal pigment epithelium(RPE). The exact cause of CSC is not well unknown. Psychological stress is thought to contribute to CSC, but the physiologic mechanisms are unclear. It is hypothesized that psychological stress can induce CSC through the mechanism of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system. Psychological stress can adversely affect HPA axis and causes glucocorticoid levels to elevate. Increased glucocorticoids constrict choroid vessels, which leads to ischemia of choroids and damage vascular endothelial cells, thus causing vasopermeability to increase. RPE dysfunction will occur as a result of abnormalities in the choroidal circulation. The large molecules including protein may enter the subretinal space through the damaged vessels and RPE.

·AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide(TA) as treatment for macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion(RVO).·METHODS: The study group consisting 30 patients (30 eyes) with RVO combined with macular edema received intravitreal 4mg TA. Changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure(IOP), examination with slit-lamp microscope, fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography(OCT) were observed during the follow-up. Statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS 12.0 software.·RESULTS: The visual acuity(VA) of all patients was significantly improved and the central macular thickness (CMT) was significantly relieved. There was no correlation between course, age, CMT before injection and the type of RVO. There was positive correlation between visual acuity before injection and after injection.·CONCLUSION: Intravitreal injection of TA is an easy-operated and safe therapy. After injection, macular edema can be rapidly relieved. VA at baseline is the predictor for the prognosis of VA. Some patients experience recurrence of macular edema between 3 to 6 months after injection.

Objective:To construct a DNA vaccine co-expressing the HBV compound multi-epitope antigen gene, the hIL-12 and the anti-HBV siRNA genes, and to express this DNA vaccine in HepG2 cells. Methods:The HBV multi-epitope antigen gene was designed and synthesized before it was fused with enhanced green fluorescent protein(EGFP) gene, and cloned into the multi-clone site(MCS) of the eukaryotic expression vector pVAX1. The expressinig units of hIL-12 and siRNA were cloned into the BspH I and Mlu I site of pVAX1 respectively. Then the recombinant plasmid pVAX1-siHBV-HB-EGFP-hIL12 was transiently transfected HepG2 cells. The expression of HBV compound multi-epitope gene was observed through EGFP report gene. The expression of hIL-12 was analyzed by ELISA and the effects of anti-HBV siRNA was confirmed with rtPCR . Results: The analysis of enzyme digestion and sequencing both demonstrated that the trible-expressing HBV DNA vaccine has been constructed successfully. The green fluorescent image was detected in the transfected cells which could confirm the expression of the multi-epitope antigen gene. The amount of hIL-12 secretion was 1289pg/ml in supernatant at 48h after transfection and 1712pg/ml at 72h after transfection. The mRNA amount of HBV S gene, which was the siRNA target, had been obviously knockdown. Conclusion: The DNA vaccine co-expressing the HBV compound multi-epitope antigen gene, the hIL-12 and the siRNA genes was constructed and transiently expressed in HepG2 cells, and siRNA had shown us a good anti-HBV effect. It laid a foundation of further study on anti-HBV effect of the new DNA vaccine.

Objective To explore the best time point for the ipsilateral hepatocellular apoptosis and the contralateraI hepatic hypertrophy after selective portal vein embolization(SPVE)in rabbit.Methods In a randomized study design,forty rabbits were divided into 5 groups with 8 rabbits per-group,including one as the control and the other 4 were treated with SPVE during open surgery.The rabbits were killed postoperatively,in 3,7,14,21 days respectively after the embolization.The hepatic lobes volume,the ipsilateral hepatocellular necrosis rates and apoptosis index,and liver functions were determined as well. Results In the treatment groups,the average amount of the right liver volumes decreased from 46.4 cm~3 preoperatively to 46.0,44.4,42.0,39.7 cm~3 in groups of 3,7,14,21 days postoperatively;meanwhile,the left liver volumes increased from 54.0 cm~3 preoperatively to 54.5,56.3,61.7,63.9 cm~3 respectively during 3, 7,14,21 days after the procedures.The rates of future remaining live volumes(FRLV)increased from 53.8% preoperatively to 54.2%,55.9%,59.0%,61.0% at 3,7,14,21 days postoperatively.The apoptosis indexes of hepatocells from group A to E were 8.1%,12.2%,19.4%,20.1%,14.2% respectively.Conclusions SPVE leads to atrophy of the ipsilateral hepatic lobe and hypertrophy of contralateral lobe,indicating that hepatocytes undergone apoptosis,rather than necrosis.The time point is 7 to 14 days.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical value of gnome-wide chromosome microarray (CMA) technique in genetic etiological diagnosis of fetal cerebral ventriculomegaly.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was conducted in 109 women with singleton pregnancy, who were admitted in Nanfang Hospital with the diagnosis of cerebral ventriculomegaly in the fetuses by ultrasound between January, 2014 and December, 2016. Routine karyotype analysis and chromosome microarray analysis were performed to identify the chromosomal abnormalities in the fetuses.

RESULTSKaryotype analysis detected chromosomal abnormalities at a rate of 12.84% in these fetuses, significantly lower than the rate of 26.60% with CMA technique (P=0.004); the combined detection rate of the two techniques was 28.44%. In 17 cases, karyotype analysis yielded normal results while CMA microarray showed abnormalities with an extra abnormal detection rate of 15.60%. Among the 17 fetuses with chromosomal abnormalities, 6 had micro-deletion, 9 had micro-duplication, 1 had both micro-deletion and micro-duplication, and 1 had heterozygous loss of single parent diploid.

CONCLUSIONCMA technique can be used to detect abnormal chromosomal copy numbers in fetuses with cerebral ventriculomegaly to increase the detection rate of chromosomal abnormalities and facilitate prenatal consultation and prognostic evaluation.

PURPOSE: Gastric cancer surgery is a common operation in East Asia, such as Korea and Japan, and there has been a significant increase in the need for this procedure due to the aging population. As a result, surgery for the treatment of gastric cancer for elderly patients is expected to increase. This study examined the effect of old age on gastric cancer surgery, and analyzed the operative risk factors for elderly patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From November 2008 to August 2010, 590 patients, who underwent a curative resection for gastric cancers, were enrolled. Patients who underwent palliative or emergency surgery were excluded. A retrospective analysis of the correlation between surgical outcomes and age was performed. The elderly were defined as patients who were over the age of 65 years. RESULTS: The mean age of all patients was 58.3 years, and complications occurred in 87 cases (14.7%). The most common complication was wound infection and severe complications requiring surgical, endoscopic, or radiologic intervention developed in 52 cases (8.8%). The rate of complications increased with increasing age of the patients. Univariate analysis revealed age, comorbidity, extent of resection, operation time, and combined resection to be associated with surgical complications. In particular, age over 75 years old, operation time, and comorbidity were predictive factors in multivariate analysis. In the elderly, only comorbidity was associated with surgical complications. CONCLUSIONS: The patients' age is the most important factor for predicting surgical complications. Surgeons should pay an attention to the performance of gastric cancer surgery on elderly patients. In particular, it must be performed carefully for elderly patients with a comorbidity.
Aged ; Aging ; Comorbidity ; Emergencies ; Far East ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Wound Infection

Quantification of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) is extremely important due to the pivotal role they play in controlling pathogen infection and anti-tumor actions. Previously used methods for detecting specific CTL are usually indirect. In recent years, tetramer technology has been developed to directly visualize antigen-specific CTL efficiently, and become the critical approach in studying T cell immune responses. A simplified procedure for preparing tetramers is reported here in this paper and a tetramer loaded with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) peptide was successfully obtained using this procedure, which possessed binding activity with specific CTL. The heavy chain of HLA-A * 0201 gene was cloned by RT-PCR from HLA-A2+ donor. An expression vector, encoding the extracellular domain of HLA-A * 0201 heavy chain (A2) fused with a BirA substrate peptide (BSP) at its carboxyl terminus, was constructed by PCR with cloned A2 gene as the template. The A2 heavy chain was expressed in Escherichia coli mostly in the form of inclusion body and purified by washing inclusion body. The monomer of soluble A2 loaded with peptide was reconstructed by dilution from the heavy chain in the presence of light chain beta2-microglobulin and HLA-A2 restricted HCMV pp65(495-503) peptide (NLVPMVATV, NLV). Refolded A2-NLV monomer was biotinylated with a commercial BirA and purified by low pressure anion exchange chromatography on a Q-Sepharose (fast flow) column. The tetramer was then formed by mixing A2-NLV monomer with streptavidin-PE in a ratio of 4:0.8 leading to more than 85% multiplication as revealed by SDS-PADE under non-reducing conditions without boiling the sample. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that this tetramer could bind to specific CTL from HLA-A2+ donor. In conclusion, a simplified procedure is established to prepare HLA-A2 tetramer, which may not only facilitate the application of tetramer technology for studying specific T lymphocyte immune response but A2-NLV itself be applied clinically to monitor CMV-specific CTL in stem cell and organ transplantation.
Cloning, Molecular ; Cytomegalovirus ; genetics ; immunology ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; HLA-A Antigens ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; HLA-A2 Antigen ; Humans ; Phosphoproteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; metabolism ; Viral Matrix Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVEImpact of the presence of bacteria associated with a marine dinoflagellate, Alexandrium tamarense CI01, on the growth and toxin production of the algae in batch culture was investigated.

METHODSPronounced changes in the activities of the algal culture were observed when the culture was treated with different doses of a mixture of penicillin and streptomycin.

RESULTSIn the presence of antibiotics at the initial concentration of 100 u/mL in culture medium, both algal growth and toxin yield increased markedly. When the concentration of antibiotics was increased to 500 u/mL, the microalgal growth was inhibited, but resumed in a few days to eventually reach the same level of growth and toxin production as at the lower dose of the antibiotics. When the antibiotics were present at a concentration of 1 000 u/mL, the algal growth was inhibited permanently.

CONCLUSIONSThe results indicate that antibiotics can enhance algal growth and toxin production not only through their inhibition of the growth and hence competition for nutrients, but also through their effects on the physiology of the algae.

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Bacteria ; Dinoflagellida ; microbiology ; pathogenicity ; Eutrophication ; Marine Toxins ; biosynthesis ; Penicillins ; pharmacology ; Saxitoxin ; Streptomycin ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution of ornidazole in the salivary and serum of healthy adults and explore the feasibility of monitoring serum drug concentration with salivary.

METHODSSix volunteers received a single dose of 0.6 g ornidazole via intravenous infusion. The concentrations of ornidazole in the saliva and serum were assayed by high-performance liquid chomatography, and the correlation of the drug concentrations in saliva to that in serum was analyzed.

RESULTSThe concentration of ornidazole in the saliva was strongly associated with that in the serum (r = 0.825-0.969), and the ratio of saliva-to-serum concentration (S/P) of ornidazole was 0.99 ± 0.13.

CONCLUSIONDetection of saliva ornidazole concentration is feasible for monitoring the therapeutic concentration of ornidazole.

Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Ornidazole ; analysis ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Saliva ; metabolism ; Young Adult

The complex field cure instrument is a new medical instrument with which an experiment was carried out. Rats were continuously irradiated by the complex field for 90 days, with a day's total dose of 285.9 M.T.G. while other rats weren't irradiated for control group. The animals were respectively killed at 7d, 14d, 30d, 60d and 90d, and their blood samples were taken for cell and humoral immune analysis. The results show that values of lymphocyte transform rate, soluble receptor (SIL-2R), total hemolytic complement levels (CH50) and immunoglobulin (A.G.) after irradiation are more than those of the control group having proved that the instrument may improve immune function of rats.
Animals ; Female ; Immunoglobulin A ; blood ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Immunoglobulins ; blood ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Physical Therapy Modalities ; instrumentation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Time Factors