AlM: To evaluate the effectiveness of Spot Vision Screener on vision screening of children without cycloplegia.METHODS:A total of 87 children (174 eyes) aged from 2~9 years old were examined with Spot Vision Screener and optometrist before cycloplegia.RESULTS: Statistical analysis demonstrated that the cylinder diopter and axis, the equivalent spherical diopter in both eyes, and the spherical diaopter in left eye had no significant change ( P>0. 05 ). However, the spherical diaopter in right eye had statistical significance. CONCLUSlON: Spot Vision Screener is a suitable instrument in vision screening of children without cycloplegia.

Ion channelopathies are the mainly etiopathogenisis of inherited arrhythmia. Those arrhythmia syndromes are commonly caused by ion channel gene mutation, which can be classified as sodium,potassium and calcium ion channel mutation.Changes in the genes encoding for cardiac ion channel subunits produce modification in the function of the channels, and cause the dysfunctions of cardiac electrical activity; and the clinical manifestation is malignant arrhythmia.
Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Channelopathies ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Ion Channels ; genetics ; physiology ; Mutation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the resistant effect of houttuyfonate sodium (SH) combined with imipenem (IMP) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) biofilms.

METHODThe two-fold dilution method was used to examine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the tested drug. The crystal violet staining was applied to detect the effect of the combination of 1/2MIC, 1MIC, 2MIC of SH, single IMP, 1/2MIC of SH and IMP of various concentrations on the clearance rate of adherent bacteria, growth of biofilms and alginate production. Fluorescein diacetate (FDA)-propidium iodide (PI) doubling staining assay was employed to observe the bacterial viability and morphological changes after membrane dispersion of each drug group.

RESULTSodium houttuyfonate could enhance the effect of IMP against pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Particularly, the combination group with the concentration of 2MIC showed the highest effect, with P < 0.001 compared with the negative control group. The above results were proved by the bacterial viability and biofilm morphology under fluorescence microscope.

CONCLUSIONAfter being combined with imipenem, sodium houttuyfonate shows a higher effect against biofilms. It is expected that the combination of the two drugs could improve the clinical efficacy of associated infections.

Alkanes ; pharmacology ; Biofilms ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Drug Synergism ; Imipenem ; pharmacology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Microbial Viability ; drug effects ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; drug effects ; physiology ; Sulfites ; pharmacology

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of recombinant human erythropoietin(rhEPO)on brain mitochondrial energy metabolism and mitachondrial respiratory functionin after brain injury in rats.Method A total of 63 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into three groups:the rhEPO treated group(n =28),the control group(n=28),the shanl group(n=7).The models of contusion of brain caused by freefalling were set up in rhEPO treated group(n=28).The recombinant human erythropoietin was intraperitoneally injected in dose of 10 U/g immediately after brain injury and it was repeated every 10 hours in rhEPO group treated.The same models of contused brain were made without rhEPO treatment as control group(n=28).In control group,the same volume of normal saline was used in replacemem of rhEPO.Aburr hole was made on the skull of the sham group(n=7),but the brain tissue was not wounded.The mitochondria were isolated at 6 h,12 h,24h,48 h after trealment,respectively.The activity of ATPase and SOD,the content MDA and brain mitochondrial respiratory function were measured by biochemical technique.The data were analyzed with the F-test and t-test.Results The activity of ATPase(P＜0.05),SOD(P＜0.01)and brain mitochondrial respiratory function(P ＜0.05)were increased.and the levd of MDA in brain mitochondria was reduced markedly in rats treated with rhEPO.Conclusions Treatment with rhEPO can alleviates the secondary brain injury by affecting mitochondrial function.

OBJECTIVETo study the expressions changes of gastric mucosal hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and downstream molecules [such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)] of verrucous gastritis (VG) patients of different Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome types and their clinical significance.

METHODSTotally 94 VG patients were assigned to Gan-Wei disharmony group (GWDG, 28 cases), the damp-heat in Pi-Wei group (DHPWG, 17 cases), the blood stasis in Wei-collateral group (BSWCG, 20 cases), and the insufficiency of Pi-yang group (IPYG, 29 cases). Another 30 patients with chronic mild non-active superficial gastritis patients accompanied with negative Hp infection were recruited as the control group. The Hp infection was detected using 14C-labeled urea breath test. The expressions of HIF-1alpha, VEGF, and COX-2 in the gastric mucosal tissue were detected using immunohistochemical EnVision two-step test.

RESULTSThe positive Hp infection rate in VG patients was 37.23% (35/94 cases). The positive Hp infection rate in patients of DHPWG (76. 47%) was significantly higher than the other three groups (32.14% in GWDG, 31.03% in IPYG, and 20.00% in BSWCG, P < 0.01). The expressions of HIF-1alpha and COX-2 in VG patients of different syndrome types were obviously higher than those of the control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Of them, the expression of HIF-1alpha was the highest in BSWCG and the expression of COX-2 was the highest in DHPWG. The expression of VEGF was higher in DHPWG and IPYG than in the control group and the GWDG (P < 0.01, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe expressions of HIF-1alpha, VEGF, COX-2, and Hp infection showed certain changes in VG patients of different syndrome types. The expression of HIF-1alpha was the strongest in BSWCG. The expressions of VEGF and COX-2 as well as Hp infection were the highest in DHPWG. All showed the specificity of CM syndromes.

Adult ; Aged ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gastritis ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Helicobacter Infections ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism ; Young Adult

In the areas of prevention and life skills counseling for breast cancer, risk assessment and prediction can assist clinicians to decide if chemoprevention or prophylactic surgery is needed or suggestions on improving the quality of life for their clients. Several mathematical models, namely Gail Model, Claus Model, BRCAPRO Model and Cuzick-Tyrer Model etc. have been developed to make predictions, clinically. This paper has reviewed the development, operation, advantage versus disadvantage and areas of application for the four models. Having family history of breast cancer, one subject was calculated on the risks by the four models and different results were found. Up to 45 years old, the accumulative risks from the four models and population risk were 1.9%, 11.8%, 2.5%, 5.0% and i.6%, respectively. To 75 years old, they were 20.2%,32.5%, 13.1%, 25.0% and 8.5%, respectively. The subject had a relatively high breast cancer risk during her lifetime. A new model is supposed to include a variety of important risk factors and to be validated by large scale of case-control samples. Incidence of breast cancer in China had significantly increased during the last ten years, but the research on developing assessment methods of breast cancer risk had never been reported, suggesting that the development of models for Chinese population is necessary.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the characteristics of the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene mutations in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) in Henan province, China, in order for providing basic information for clinical genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis.

METHODSAll the exons and partial flanking introns of the PAH gene were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and bi-directional sequencing in 34 patients with PKU from Henan province.

RESULTSA total of 23 different disease-causing mutations were identified which corresponded to 92.65% (63/68) of the PAH alleles, including 12 missense mutations, 4 nonsense mutations, 4 splicing junction mutations, and 3 deletion mutations. Among them, A156P and P69_S70delinsP(delCTT) were novel mutations; IVS2+ 5G to C, G332E, IVS10-14C to G and L367 to Wfs were reported in Chinese population for the first time according to the PAH database (www.pahdb.mcgill.ca). Among all the 13 exons, exon 7 harbored the most type of mutations, exon 11 and exon 5 the second. The most common mutations included R243Q (17.65%, 12/68), V399V (11.76%, 8/68), IVS4-1G to A (8.82%, 6/68), R400T(7.35%, 5/68), Y166X(5.88%,4/68) and G247R(5.88%, 4/68). In addition, 9 other gene variations were found in this study.

CONCLUSIONThe mutation spectrum and frequency of the PAH gene of patients with phenylketonuria in Henan province were slightly different from those from other parts of China.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Genetic Counseling ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; genetics ; Phenylalanine Hydroxylase ; genetics ; Phenylketonurias ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Prenatal Diagnosis

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to understand the molecular epidemiology of integron-associated gene cassettes in Acinetobacter baumannii across four hospitals in northern Taiwan and to clarify the relationship between the presence of integrons and antibiotic-resistant phenotypes. METHODS: Sixty-five A. baumannii isolates, collected from the patients of four regional hospitals in northern Taiwan in 2009, were tested for the presence of integrons and their associated gene cassettes. The susceptibility difference between integron-positive and integron-negative A. baumannii strains was analyzed. Antibiotic-resistant phenotypes among A. baumannii with different types of gene cassette array combinations were also compared. RESULTS: Around 72% of the A. baumannii isolates carried class 1 integrase genes. Despite this, only three gene cassette arrays were found in the integrons. Integron-positive strains were significantly more resistant to all the tested antibiotics than the integrase-negative strains. All the four types of A. baumannii with different gene cassette array combinations were multidrug-resistant in nature. Gene cassette array aacA4-catB8-aadA1 existed in all the integron-positive A. baumannii isolates. Repetitive-sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) results revealed the prevalence of one major cluster of imipenem-resistant A. baumannii strains (84%) in the four regional hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of integrons with associated antimicrobial resistance gene cassettes can be used as a representative marker of multidrug resistance in A. baumannii. Some prevalent gene cassette arrays may exist among epidemiologically unrelated A. baumannii strains.
Acinetobacter Infections/epidemiology/*microbiology ; Acinetobacter baumannii/drug effects/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics ; DNA, Bacterial/analysis ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Humans ; Imipenem/pharmacology ; Integrases/genetics ; Integrons/*genetics ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Taiwan/epidemiology

OBJECTIVE To investigate the neuroprotective effect and possible mechanisms of lute-olin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide (LGU) against focalcerebral ischemic injury. METHODS The focal cerebral ischemic injury model was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group,model group(MCAO),LGU group(0.24,0.72 and 2.16 mg·kg-1)and positive control group(Edaravone at 5 mg·kg-1).LGU was injected intravenously 30 min after MCAO.Neurological severity score,infarct volume and brain water content were detected 24 h after MCAO and the levels of Na+-K+ATPase,Ca2+ATPase,TNF-α and IL-1β were detected to explore the possible mechanisms.For the therapeutic time window test,LGU(0.72 mg·kg-1)was injected intrave-nously 0.5, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 h respectively after MCAO. To evaluate motion behavior, LGU were injected intravenously 30 min after MCAO and once per day during detection period. The changes of motor coordination were detected by rotating rod method and grip strength analysis, and the changes of gaits were detected using DigiGait Imaging System. RESULTS LGU improved the neurological severity score, infarct volume ratio and brain water content. The therapeutic time window of LGU for cerebral infarction and brain edema was at least 6 h and for neurological dysfunction was 12 h.LGU also prolonged the latency on rotarod, increased the forelimb tension and improved 8 gait parameters, including stance duration,stride length,stance width,paw area,paw area variability,gait symmetry,ataxia coefficient and tau propulsion.Furthermore,LGU increased Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase levels in the cortex and hippocampus in the ischemic side,reduced the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in the serum. CONCLUSION LGU has a significant neuroprotective effect against cerebral ischemic injury via improving energy metabolism and reducing inflammation.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the protective effect and mechanisms of luteolin-7-O-β-d-glucuronide (LGU) on oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced H9C2 cardiomyocytes injury. METH-ODS The protective effect of LGU on OGD-induced H9C2 cardiomyocytes death were investigated by MTT assay. The microfilament change of H9C2 cardiomyocytes was detected by phalloidin staining and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage rate was also detected by LDH kit. In order to explore the possible mechanisms of LGU, ATP content, intracellular Ca2+fluorescent intensity and concentra-tion, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP)and the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins were detected by ATP kit,CLSM(Fluo-3/AM probe),Ca2+kit,CLSM(JC-1 probe)and western blotting meth-od, respectively. RESULTS The inhibition of H9C2 cardiomyocyte survival rate inducedby OGD was improvedby pretreated with LGU in a concentrationdependent manner. The microfilaments injury as well as the increase of LDH leakage rate were also improvedby pretreated with LGU.The ATP content was significantly decreased,intracellular Ca2+fluorescent intensity and concentration were significantly increased and the MMP was significantly decreased 4 hafter OGD. LGU significantly reversed the de-crease of intracellular ATP content,the increase of Ca2+fluorescent intensity and concentration and the decrease of MMP.The release of cytochrome C,the expressionsof caspase-9 and caspase-3 in H9C2 cardiomyocytes were increased 16 h after OGD.LGUsignificantly inhibited the changes of these apop-tosis-related proteins. CONCLUSION LGU has a significant protective effect against OGD-induced H9C2 cardiomyocytes injury through inhibiting calcium overload,increasing ATP content,improving mi-tochondrial function and inhibiting apoptosis.