Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a large group of common hereditary eye diseases with highlyheterogeneous genetic background. Over forty genes with diverse functionalities are associated with RP and they include a set of ubiquitously expressed genes. These include five genes involved in the precursor messenger RNA( premRNA) splicing. Recent progress in disease gene identification for RP has established the involvement of pre-mRNA splicing as one important mechanism in the disease etiology and has shed light on the splicing process itself, a fundamental biological process. To this date, studies in this field have been focused on two major issues. First, how do the mutations of the adRP associated splicing factors (adRP-SF) affect the splicing function? Second, how do the mutations in these ubiquitously expressed genes lead to specific retinopathy? The two topics fit with the two continuous important steps of the disease pathogenesis. Recently, researchers have made a dramatic progress in the first topic. The identification of the SNRNP200 gene,the fifth adRP-SF and its relevant functional study has shown significance to the progress in the study of RP. Numerous investigations are also being carried out in addressing the second issue.Generation of a variety of models led to a better description of the pathological process of the disease. However, in respect to the key pathogenic mechanism,researchers are still puzzled with a number of confusing questions. In this commentary,the results from the latest investigations were summarized, and in particular,the difficulties in studying the molecular mechanism by which the pre-mRNA splicing deficiency causes RP were detailed.

Cardiovascular Diseases ; therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy

Tanshinones are a large class of hydrophobic natural products isolated from traditional Chinese herb Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge and related plants. Tanshinones include tanshinone ⅡA, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I, dihydrotanshinone, and so on. Both the tanshinones and the salvianolic acids have been identi-fied as the characteristic and main active ingredients of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge with cardiovascular protective activities. Ac-cumulated data in recent years have revealed that tanshinones possess remarkable anti-cancer activities both in vivo and in vitro. In this review, we summarize the latest progress of the an-ti-cancer effect and the underlying mechanisms of tanshinones, particularly with emphasis on tanshinone ⅡA, which might pro-vide reference for the further research and development of these compounds.

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of plasma presepsin levels in patients with sepsis. Methods 92 patients who were admitted to the ICU of the affiliated hospital of Jiangsu University from October 2011 to March 2013 and 30 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into three groups: sepsis, SIRS, and control. Plasma presepsin and serum procalcitonin (PCT) were measured, APACHEⅡscore were calculated at enrollment, and ROC curve was used to analyze the performance index for the diagnosis of sepsis. Results Serum levels of presepsin, PCT and APACHEⅡscore were significantly higher in the death group than in the SIRS group and the control group (P<0.01). Serum levels of presepsin and PCT were higher in the sepsis group than in the SIRS group and the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant statistical difference between the SIRS group and the sepsis group in the APACHEⅡ score (detailed in table 1). Level of plasma presepsin was significantly correlated with serum PCT (r = 0.82); plasma presepsin level was related with the APACHEⅡ score (r = 0.69). The area under the curve (AUC) of presepsin was 0.908 (95%CI 0.848~0.967), greater than the AUC of PCT 0.862 (95%CI 0.787~0.937). The cutoff value of presepsin for discrimination of bacterial and nonbacterial infectious diseases was determined to be 629 pg/mL, of which the clinical sensitivity and specificity were 68.6% and 90%, respectively; when the cutoff value of PCT was 1.98 ng/mL, the clinical sensitivity and specificity were 92%and 65%. Conclusions Level of presepsin increases in patients with sepsis, and an elevated presepsin may suggest the severity of sepsis.

Objective To investigate the clinical manifestations,pathological features,treatment and prognosis of nongesta-tional choriocarcinomas.Methods The clinicopathological data in 4 cases of nongestational choriocarcinoma were retrospectively analyzed and the relevant literatures were reviewed.Results All 4 patients had no confirmed diagnosis at first visit to hospital.All patients received the operative therapy and postoperative bleomycin,etoposide and cis-platinum (BEP)regimen chemotherapy.The followed up lasted for 3-32 months.One case died at postoperative 26 months due to pulmonary metastasis;one case was loss of follow up;two cases had relatively favorable condition.Conclusion Nongestational choriocarcinoma is a rare and highly invasive trophoblastic neoplasm,and is prone for early distant metastasis.The treatment is recommended to adopt operation combined with postoperative combined chemotherapy of multiple drugs.

Objective To investigate the clinical typing and staging in diagnosis of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Methods Retrospective study was designed to analysis the principal clinical characteristic of SARS and the standard of clinical typing and staging was raised. Comparisons with X-ray in lung, change of lymphocyte subset, PaO_2, SaO_2,and prognosis of disease were performed. Results The standard of SARS clinical typing and staging is four types (light type, ordinary type, heavy type, serious type)and four phases (prodromal period, progres phase, fastigium, recovery phase). The light type is 8/162(4.9%), ordinary type is 69/162 (42.6%), heavy type is 41/162 (25.3%), serious type is (27.2%). Comparisons SARS clinical typing and staging with X-ray in lung, change of lymphocyte subset were found that the more lesion in lung, the lower lymphocyte and its subset, and more serious in clinical typing. Conclusions The standard of clinical typing and staging summarized basic clinical characteristic in SARS, and coincided with progress of SARS. The standard will be help of clinical diagnosis, treatment and judging the prognosis of SARS.

Purpose To investigate the value of cytopathological diagnosis in combination with histopathological diagnosis for peripherial and diffuse lung diseases by biopsy specimens under CT guidance.Methods A total of 370 cases of lung biopsy specimens under CT guidance were reviewed.The correlation between cytopathological diagnosis and histopathological diagnosis was analyzed.The sensitivity and false negative rate of cytopathological diagnosis,histopathological diagnosis and the combinational diagnosis method were calculated,and the accordance rate of cytopathological diagnosis with histopathological diagnosis was analyzed.Results Among the 370 cases,histopathological diagnosis revealed 177 (47.84％) cancers,22 (5.95 ％) malignant tumors,16 (4.32％) suspicious malignancy,12 (3.24％) atypical cells and 143 (38.65 ％)negative findings,whereas the corresponding number for cytopathological diagnosis were 166(44.87％),10(2.70％),16(4.32％),49(13.24％)and 129(34.87％).The two diagnosis methods were correlated (P ＜ 0.001).The sensitivity of cytopathological diagnosis,histopathological diagnosis and the combinational method were 80.00％ (192/240),89.58％ (215/240) and 98.33％ (236/240),respectively.The eytopathologieal diagnosis and the histopathologieal diagnosis had a statistically significant difference in the sensitivity (P ＜ 0.05).The difference in sensitivity between the combinational method and the histopathological diagnosis was statistically significant(P ＜ 0.05).Overall,66.15％ (127/192) of the cytopathogically positive cases were precisely typed by cytopathological diagnosis.Complications during or after the operation were found in 14.59％ of cases,among which 31 had pneumothorax and 23 had bleeding in the needle passage or bloody sputum,all improving after appropriate treatment.Conclusion Percutaneous lung biopsy under CT guidance is a safe,sensitive and accurate method for diagnosis of lung diseases,and the combinational use of cytopathological diagnosis and histopathological diagnosis significantly increases the rate of diagnosis and has a favorable clinical application value.

Objective To investigate the correlation between dose and effect of thioacetamide (TAA) on rat model of intestinal endotoxemia. Methods The models of intestinal endotoxemia were induced by three different doses of TAA by gavage administration of TAA 200, 400, 600mg/kg respectively once per day for two days.The doses were given at same time point every day. Each group included 10 rats. The rats in the control group were administrated with 2 mL 0.9% NaCl saline gavage. The death of the rats was observed at 24 hours and 48 hours after administration. The blood samples of the living rats were drawn from abdominal aorta for determining the plasma endotoxin levels, serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartated transaminase (AST) levels. The histopathological changes of liver were examined. Single factor analysis of variance was performed and comparision between groups was done using t test. Results No rat in the control group died. Two rats of 200 mg/kg TAA group, five rats of 400 mg/kg TAA group and eight rats of 600 mg/kg TAA group died during the experiment. The mean serum ALT levels of TAA model groups [(305.09±116.78)U/L,(901.67±274.31)U/L,(1454.84±473.49)U/L] were all significantly higher than that of the control group(47.81±22.61)U/L(t=14.583, 25.896 and 20.596, respectively; all P＜0.05). The mean serum AST levels of TAA model groups [(465.88±139.96)U/L, (884.37±250.90)U/L,(1889.23±159.67)U/L] were all significantly higher than that of the control group (69.33±22.04)U/L(t=12.988,18. 455 and 13.542, respectively; all P＜0.05). The mean plasma endotoxin levels of TAA model groups [(0.436±0.110)EU/mL, (0.550±0.095) EU/mL, (0.620±0.057)EU/mL] were all significantly higher than that of the control group (0.103±0.056)EU/mL(t=7.335, 5.260 and 8.191, respectively; all P＜0.05). The histological results of TAA model groups showed hepatic cell degeneration and necrosis in different degrees. Conclusions TAA with 200-600mg/kg is proper to establish the rat model of intestinal endotoxemia. The death rate of rats in the 200mg/kg TAA group is lower than those of other model groups, which suggests that 200mg/kg TAA may be the best dosage for establishing rat model for further studies.

The simple and effective controlled needle devices were provided for acupuncture clinical trial so that the double blind acupuncture trial could be conducted possibly. The basic structure of filiform needle was modified. The needle handle was designed as hollow, the upper 1/3 of needle body as hollow and the lower 2/3 part as solid. The upper and lower parts were linked with an elastic unit. At the same time, the needle pad was attached. With this method, the new sham-acupuncture device was designed and developed. The new sham-acupuncture device could simulate needle insertion, manipulation and the techniques of reinforcing and reducing, without inserting into the human body. This innovation lays the foundation for perfecting the clinical randomized controlled blind trial of acupuncture.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; Equipment Design ; Needles

Objective To study the effect of repairment of articular cartilage defects in non weight-bearing area of rabbit with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) seeded on human acellular amniotic membrane (HAAM).Methods From July 2012 to March 2013,bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and purified from rabbit in vitro.The cells were seeded on human acellular anniotic membrane at the concentration of 1.63 × l05/cm2.From 7 days to 8 days after cultured,the complexes of BMSC and HAAM were examined under electronmicroscope,light microscope and by HE stain.Full thickness empty defects measuring 4 mm in diameter by 3 mm depth were prepared in femoral intercondylar fossa of 24 rabbits.The rabbits were randomized into two groups:group A and group B with 12 each group.The defects of right knees were served as control and the left as experimental group.BMSCs/HAAM composite was cultured and then transplanted into the defect of left knee joint in group A as group BMSCs/HAAM and HAAM into group B as group HAAM.These rabbits were killed at 4 and 12 weeks after surgery in each group and the newly cartilage samples were evaluated grossly,histologically are graded.Results In the 4th and 12th week after the operation,the regenerated tissue were white,soft and smooth.Chondrocytes were found in the tissue In the 12th week,the morphology,distribution and arrangement of the regenerated tissues were similar to normal cartilage in the knees with HAAM-BMSCs transplantation.The regenerated tissues grew to be integrated with the surrounding normal cartilage with obscure boundary between them.Chondrocytes were found in all layer of the tissue,surrounding normal cartilage with obscure boundary between them.In the HAAM transplantation,the rough surface of regenerated tissue sunk obviously and the fibmblasts in all layer were found.While there were no regenerated tissue in the control side.Conclusion BMSCs seeded on HAAM could repair the articular cartilage defects of femoral intercondylar fossa from rabbits.