Corticosteroid-induced glaucoma (CIG) is a form of open angle glaucoma associated with both topical and systemic administration of corticosteroids. Here we described the clinical findings in a patient with severe glaucoma and posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) after topical administration of corticosteroid eye drops. We concluded corticosteroid eye drop was an effective medicine for inflammation of the eyes; however,prolonged use could cause severe vision loss as a result of intractable corticosteroid-induced glaucoma and cataract.

Adult ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; etiology ; therapy ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; surgery ; Rituximab

Objective: To evaluate the impact of fine particulate matter ( PM2.5 ) on respiratory diseases and symptoms of community residents in Chun’an County, so as to provide the basis for air pollution treatment strategies. Methods: Using the cluster random sampling method, the permanent residents in Qiandaohu Town of Chun’an County were investigated from 2017 to 2018. The demographic information, respiratory diseases and symptoms were collected by using Surveillance Plan for the Impact of Air Pollution ( Haze ) on health ( 2016 Edition ). The air pollutants and meteorological data were collected through Qiandaohu station of Hangzhou Ecology and Environment Monitoring Center and Hangzhou Meteorological Information Center. The effects of PM2.5 on respiratory diseases and symptoms of residents were analyzed with generalized estimating equation. Results: Totally 1 181 people aged 6 months to 95 years were recruited, including 557 ( 47.16% ) males and 624 ( 52.84% ) females. Acute nasopharyngitis (common cold) and tracheitis/tonsillitis occurred most frequently, with 203 cases, accounting for 3.44%. The median of daily average concentration of PM2.5 was 24 μg/m3, with the standard exceeding rate of 2.80%. The results showed that PM2.5 increased the risk of acute nasopharyngitis ( common cold ), tracheitis/tonsillitis, cough, expectoration, runny nose, sore throat and nasal congestion ( lag 3 days, OR: 1.015-1.022, 95%CI: 1.001-1.037 ); the effect of PM2.5+PM10 ( OR: 1.020-1.040, 95%CI: 1.006-1.070 ) and PM2.5+O3 ( OR: 1.017-1.024, 95%CI: 1.005-1.035 ) was greater than that of PM2.5 alone on respiratory diseases and symptoms. Conclusion Atmospheric PM2.5 exposure in Chun’an County increases the risk of respiratory diseases and symptoms among community residents.

Several kinds of column chromatography method were used to investigate the chemical constituents of the leaves of Lophatherum gracile. The structures of the isolated compounds were identified based on their physicochemical properties and spectral data. A new flavone C-glycoside was isolated and its structure was identified as 3'-methoxyl-luteolin 6-C-beta-D-galactopyranosiduronic acid (1 --> 2) -alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (1).
Antiviral Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flavones ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Hydrolysis ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Poaceae ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the primary prevention role of Wuling Capsule (WC) on poststroke depression (PSD) patients.

METHODSAcute stroke patients were recruited and randomized into 2 groups by stratification, 55 in each group. All patients received same routine treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Patients in the experimental group additionally took WC (0.33 g each pill), 3 pills per day, three times per day; while those in the control group additionally took placebos, 3 pills per day, three times per day. Two weeks consisted of one therapeutic course. The diagnosis of PSD was performed once every other week. Those in accordance with PSD diagnosis discontinued any drug therapy. Those not in accordance with PSD diagnosis continued the drug therapy for 1-12 therapeutic course(s) (in total of 6 months). If they were still not in accordance with PSD diagnosis, then they discontinued the drug therapy. The morbidity of PSD, the average time of depression occurrence, Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD) score, and adverse reactions were observed.

RESULTSThe 1-, 3-, and 6-month morbidity of PSD was 8%, 16%, and 34% in the experimental group, while they were 19.6%, 29.4%, and 54.9% in the control group. The occurrence rate was lower in the experimental group than in the control group. Besides, there was statistical difference in the 6-month occurrence rate between the two groups (chi2 = 4.465, P < 0.05). The average time of PSD occurrence was longer in the experimental group than in the control group (14.96 +/- 8.31 weeks vs. 9.36 +/- 6.06 weeks; t=6.762, P < 0.05). The HAMD score at the PSD occurrence was 11.96 +/- 2.14 in the experimental group, lower than that of the control group (14.57 +/- 4.24), showing statistical difference (t=5.641, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWC was superior to the placebos in lowering the incidence of PSD, delaying the occurrence time of PSD, attenuating the depression degree of PSD, and had certain preventive effect on the incidence of PSD.

Aged ; Capsules ; Depression ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Primary Prevention ; Stroke ; complications

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy often results in potentially life-threatening side effects including hypotension. However, the mechanism has not been completely elucidated. In order to determine whether IL-2 modifies vascular tone, we investigated the effect of IL-2 on rat thoracic aorta rings and the underlying mechanisms. Effects of IL-2 on the contraction of high KCl and phenylephrine (PE) preconstricted rat thoracic aorta with or without endothelium were determined by organ bath technique. To explore the mechanism, nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-N(G)-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME), guanylyl cyclase inhibitor methylene blue, and cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin were used. IL-2 (10-1000 U/ml) caused concentration-dependent relaxation of aorta rings preconstricted with PE (10 micromol/L) in endothelium-intact rings, but had no effect on KCl (120 mmol/L) preconstricted rings. Removal of the endothelium, or pretreatment with L-NAME (0.1 mmol/L) or methylene blue (10 micromol/L) or indomethacin (10 micromol/L), inhibited the relaxation of IL-2. The results indicate that the relaxation by IL-2 in rat aorta ring is endothelium-dependent and is possibly mediated by the NO-guanylyl cyclase pathway and cyclooxygenase-dependent pathway.
Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; drug effects ; physiology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; drug effects ; Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors ; pharmacology ; Guanylate Cyclase ; metabolism ; In Vitro Techniques ; Interleukin-2 ; pharmacology ; Male ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; pharmacology ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Vasodilation ; drug effects ; Vasodilator Agents ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the inhibitory effects of antisense oligonucleotides to different sequences on VEGF gene expression by human hepatoma cells.

METHODSSMMC7721 cells were cultured under normoxic or hypoxic conditions for 24 h, followed by being transfected with different antisense oligonucleotides (A06513 to cap structure, A06514 to translation initiation, A06515 to Exon-3 and A06516 to translation terminal). The total RNAs from the cells were extracted and the VEGF expression were examined with RT-PCR. The relative concentrations of VEGF transcripts in SMMC772 cells from different groups were determined using GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) cDNA as internal standard.

RESULTSIn response to the hypoxic challenge, SMMC7721 cells upregulated VEGF mRNA; Comparative to the control (no oligonucleotides), A06513, A06514, A06515, and A06516 had obvious sequence-specific inhibitory effect on VEGF gene expression, with the ratio of VEGF over GAPDH of 0.49+/-0.08, 0.71+/-0.12, 0.72+/-0.11 and 0.86+/-0.12, respectively (F=12.21, P< 0.05). A06513 showed the strongest inhibitory effect (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe antisense oligonucleotides complementary to VEGF cap structure, may become a potential alternative for antisense gene therapy of HCC.

Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; therapy ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; pharmacology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics

The study was aimed to evaluate if the modified in situ cryopreservation could affect the biological function of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in vitro. Mesenchymal stem cells from human bone marrow were isolated by standard method and characterized with their morphology, cell-surface antigen profile and differentiation repertoire in vitro. The culture-expanded MSC were cryopreserved in situ with culture medium (DMEM-LG) containing 10% D MSO and 30% selected FCS in -70 degrees C. Following recovery of cryopreservation, differentiation to adipocytes, chondrocytes, and osteoblast in vitro and cell cycle analysis were performed to investigate whether the cryopreservation would change the differentiation potential of MSC. The results showed that after recovery of cryopreservation, there was no changes detected as compared with the culture-expanded MSC in both differentiation potency and growth pattern at 12 weeks. In conclusions: this optimized short term in situ cryopreservation at -70 degrees C could retain biological characteristics of human MSC for at least 3 months, and this method may be useful for cryopreservation of hum an bone marrow MSCs.
Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Separation ; Cell Survival ; Cryopreservation ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo explore the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in pancreatic cancer and its influence on the proliferation and migration of cancer cells.

METHODSThe expression of CTGF in pancreatic cell line PANC-1 cells was analyzed by real-time PCR and in pancreatic carcinoma (50 cases) tissues by immunohistochemistry. The ability of proliferation and migration in vitro of PANC-1 cells was tested by MTT assay, scratch test and Boyden chamber test after the CTGF gene was overexpressed by Ad5-CTGF or silenced with Ad5-siCTGF transfection.

RESULTSCTGF was overexpressed in both pancreatic cancer cells and tissues. Overxpression of CTGF leads to increased proliferation and migration of PANC-1 cells. The CTGF-transfected PANC-1 cells showed apparent stronger proliferation ability and scratch-repair ability than that of empty vector controls. The results of Boyden chamber test showed that there were 34 cells/field (200× magnificantion) of the CTGF-transfected overexpressing cells, much more than the 11 cells/field of the empty vector control cells; and 6 cells/microscopic field of the Ad5-siCTGF-transfected silenced cells, much less than the 15 cells/field of the control cells.

CONCLUSIONSCTGF is overexpressed in both pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, indicating that it may play an important role in the cell proliferation and migration in pancreatic cancer.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

AIMTo investigate the effect of interleukin-2(IL-2) on the cell contractility and calcium handling in cardiomyocytes during normoxia or anoxia/reoxygenation.

METHODSChemical anoxia introduced by Krebs-Henseleit(K-H) solution containing 10(-3) mol/L sodium dithionite was used in the enzymatically isolated rat ventricular myocytes. The video-tracking system and spectrofluorometric method were employed to verify the cell contraction and calcium handling of the single myocyte.

RESULTSDuring anoxia, the cell contraction, amplitude of calcium transient induced by electrical stimulation and Ca2+ release induced by caffeine were depressed while resting calcium level was elevated, but the activity of the L-type calcium channels were not changed. All the parameters could not return to the pre-anoxia level during reoxygenation. IL-2 at 2 x 10(5) U/L administrated during anoxia aggravated the effect of reoxygenation on cell contraction and the calcium handling.

CONCLUSIONCoexistence of IL-2 during anoxia aggravated the effect of reoxygenation on the cell contraction and calcium handling in the isolated rat ventricular myocytes, in which the reduced calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum was involved.

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Heart Ventricles ; cytology ; Interleukin-2 ; pharmacology ; Male ; Myocardial Contraction ; drug effects ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum ; metabolism