AIM: To investigate the acute clinical manifestations of cosmetology-related ocular damage(COD).METHODS:Retrospective study. A total of 53 cases(89 eyes)with ocular damage caused by cosmetology from April 2016 to October 2021 were collected. The clinical features were analyzed, including age, gender, affected eye(s), clinical manifestations, injury cause, treatment procedures, and prognosis.RESULTS: All 53 patients were female, aged 22-45 years, with an average age of 28.4±6.7 years. Monocular injuries were observed in 17 patients, and binocular injuries in 36 patients. The same eye could exhibit two or more ocular damage simultaneously. The primary cosmetology procedures causing COD were eyeliner tattooing(38 eyes; 43%), eyelash extensions(18 eyes; 20%), removal of false eyelashes(11 eyes; 12%), mascara application(8 eyes; 9%), double eyelid surgery(6 eyes; 7%), and others(8 eyes; 9%). Major ocular damages included corneal damage(56 eyes; 63%), eyelid contact dermatitis(26 eyes; 29%), conjunctivitis(19 eyes; 21%), reactive eyelid edema(13 eyes; 15%), ocular surface foreign bodies(12 eyes; 14%), bacterial infection of the palpebral margin(10 eyes; 11%), and others(5 eyes; 6%). These 5 eyes included 1 eye(1%)with central retinal artery occlusion caused by periocular injection of hyaluronic acid. The majority of patients(74 eyes)recovered within 1-2 wk with appropriate treatment, while filamentosa keratitis appeared in 3 eyes and the eye with central retinal artery occlusion had poor prognosis.CONCLUSIONS: COD predominantly occurs in young and middle-aged females with cosmetology experience. The most common cosmetology procedure leading to COD is eyeliner tattooing, and corneal damage is the most significant type of COD. COD can be effectively prevented and treated, resulting in a generally favorable prognosis.

Objective To compare the superiority of total arterial revascularization in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) complicated with left ventricular dysfunction. Methods This retrospective study included the patients who were diagnosed with CAD and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≤40% and underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) at our hospital from January 2016 to July 2019. The patients were divided into two groups according to the different types of bypass vessels: a total arterial revascularization group (TAR group) and a conventional group (a CON group). The clinical data were compared between the two groups to explore the incidence of important complications and evaluate the safety of total arterial revascularization and its protective effect on cardiac function. Results Finally 75 patients were enrolled including 52 males and 23 females with a mean age of (61.58±7.93) years. There were 35 patients in the TAR group and 40 patients in the CON group. The operation time and the drainage volume at 24 hours after operation in the TAR group were longer or more than those in the CON group (P<0.001), but there was no statistical difference in hospital stay, postoperative complications (such as respiratory failure, mediastinal infection, renal failure), intra-aortic balloon pump or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use rate (P>0.05). After 2 years of follow-up, compared with the CON group, the cardiac function of the TAR group was significantly improved, the LVEF was higher, the left ventricular end diastolic diameter was reduced, and the graft stenosis rate was lower (all P<0.05). Conclusion Total arterial revascularization is a safe and feasible surgical method, which is helpful to improve the cardiac function and improve the quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of fetal anteroposterior renal pelvic diameter (APD) in predicting antenatal hydronephrosis requiring surgical treatment after birth. METHODS: A total of 525 cases of antenatal hydronephrosis detected by prenatal ultrasonography (ultrasound index APD ≥ 4 mm in the second trimester and APD ≥ 7 mm in the third trimester) in Zhejiang Prenatal Diagnosis Center from June 2007 to June 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. ROC curve was used to analyze the relationship between these ultrasound indicators and the requirement for surgical treatment after birth. RESULTS: There were 162 cases (30.9%) diagnosed in the second trimester and 363 cases (69.1%) diagnosed in the third trimester; 131 cases were diagnosed pathologically after birth, of which 121 finally underwent surgical treatment. The area under ROC curve (AUC) of APD in middle pregnancy for prediction of requiring surgery 1-12 years after birth was 0.910; the cut-off value of APD was 8.45 mm with a sensitivity of 97.1%, specificity of 70.9%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 47.9%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 98.9%. The AUC of APD in late pregnancy for prediction of requiring surgery 1-12 years after birth was 0.800; the cut-off value of APD was 12.25 mm with a sensitivity of 66.7%, specificity of 81.2%, PPV of 51.7%, and NPV of 89.1%. CONCLUSIONS APD in pregnancy can be used to predict whether the fetus with hydronephrosis needs surgical treatment after birth, and the prediction value of APD in the middle pregnancy is better.
Female ; Fetus ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Kidney Pelvis ; diagnostic imaging ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo observe the ultrastructural changes of sperm flagella in patients with severe idiopathic asthenospermia.

METHODSUsing the transmission electron microscope, we examined the ultrastructure of sperm flagella from 22 patients with severe idiopathic asthenospermia.

RESULTSUltrastructural anomalies were found in all the 22 patients, 6 with partial or complete absence of internal and external dynamic arms in dedicative of primary ciliary dyskinesia, 1 with hyperplasia, hypertrophy and disordered organization of the fibrous sheath usually referred to as dysplasia of the fibrous sheath, and the other 15 with non-specific flagellar anomalies.

CONCLUSIONExamination of the ultrastructure of sperm flagella in severe idiopathic asthenospermia patients can help to distinguish congenital from acquired flagellar structural anomalies and give valuable guidance in the treatment.

A single-stranded oligonucleotides containing a 6 histidine sequence, a hydroxylamine cleavage site, a thrombin cleavage site, and stop codon TAA were inserted into the polylinker's downstream of prokaryotic expression vector pBV220 between BamHI and PstI. The resultant vector is named pBV223. Proteins expressed in this vector will have a 6 histidine tail as affinity handy fused to their C terminus and can be quickly purified by one step immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC). This plasmid is verified by restriction map and DNA sequencing. Subsequently, the metastasis suppressor gene nm23-H1 cDNA (without the stop codon) was cloned into vector PBV223 in frame with the 6-histidine sequence, hydroxylamine and thrombin cleavage sites. The soluble nm23-H1 fusion protein was successfully induced in the bacterial DH5a and easily purified with Ni chromatograph. These results indicated that the strategy to clone the single-stranded oligonucleotides directly into the restriction sties between BamH I and Pst I in the pBV220 vector is the simplest and cost-effective method.
Base Sequence ; Chromatography, Affinity ; methods ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; isolation & purification

BACKGROUNDScreening metastatic-related genes of lung cancer is helpful to understand the molecular mechanisms of lung cancer invasion and metastasis. In order to screen the differential expression genes related to metastasis of lung cancer, we constructed and preliminarily screened the subtracted cDNA libraries of human large cell lung cancer cell lines with different metastatic potentials in this study.

METHODSSubtracted cDNA library was constructed in the different metastastic potential cell lines NL9980 and L9981 by suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) method. The positive clones were preliminarily screened by blue-white colony based on the α-complementary principal, and precisely identified by PCR. The forward and reverse subtracted libraries were screened and identified by dot blot to obtain the clones corresponding to differential expression segments.

RESULTSThe subtracted cDNA libraries were successfully constructed in the different metastastic potential cell lines NL9980 and L9981. Three hundred and seven positive clones in the forward subtracted library and 78 positive clones in the reverse subtracted library were obtained by the dot blot method.

CONCLUSIONSSSH is proved to be an efficient tool for differential expression gene cloning. The forward and reverse subtracted cDNA libraries of different metastastic potential cell lines are constructed by this method. The differential expression genes related to tumor metastasis might exist in the human large cell lung cancer cell lines with different metastasis potential.

BACKGROUNDRas to MAPK pathway plays a critical role in the transmission of many growth and developmental signals. A new component of this pathway which is termed kinase suppressor of Ras (KSR) was found in 1995. KSR is as a scaffolding protein that coordinates the assembly of a multiprotein complex containing mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and its upstream regulators. It has been proven that KSR has many phosphorylation sites, and phosphorylation state changes response to signaling events. Site-directed mutagenesis can precisely change the base sequence and get mutant proteins. The aim of this study is to construct two mutant proteins of KSR by using site-directed mutagenesis, and to express and purify them, therefore to provide basement for studying the functional and biochemical mechanisms of KSR.

METHODSSite-directed mutagenesis of pCMV-Tag2b-KSR gene was performed by modified QuikChangtm site-directed mutagenesis kit method. Two pairs of mutagenic primers were synthesized in vitro and two mutations desired, the recombinant plasmids were verified by restriction enzyme analysis and DNA sequencing. Then positive clones were transfected into 293T cell line. The purified mutant proteins were analyzed by Western blot.

RESULTSTwo mutants were successfully constructed. The results of DNA sequencing confirmed that the base sequences of the mutant genes were completely concordant with experiment design, which could be used to be transfected into 293T cell line. The purified mutants were identified by Western blot.

CONCLUSIONSTwo mutant KSR genes are successfully constructed. It provides experimental basement for further functional research of KSR.

BACKGROUNDThe present experimental data have showed that the function of kinase suppressor of Ras (KSR) is mainly as a scaffold protein that coordinates the assembly of a multiprotein complex containing MAPK and its upstream regulators. But whether KSR has kinase activity is still the point of argument until now. The aim of this study is to construct eukaryotic expression vectors of carboxyl terminus and amino terminus of KSR and to detect their expression in 293T cell line.

METHODSN-KSR and C-KSR were amplified by PCR. The eukaryotic expression vectors of pCMV-Tag2b-N-KSR and pCMV-Tag2b-C-KSR were constructed by gene recombination technique and the recombinant plasmids were verified by restriction enzyme analysis and sequencing. Then positive clones were transfected into 293T cell line. Expression of target proteins was analyzed by Western blot.

RESULTSThe sequences and open read frames of the two vectors were both completely concordant with experiment design. The target proteins could be observed in transfected 293T cells by Western blot.

CONCLUSIONSEukaryotic expression vectors of pCMV-Tag2b-N-KSR and pCMV-Tag2b-C-KSR are successfully constructed, and they can be expressed in 293T cells. It provides an experimental base for further research work.

BACKGROUNDPrevious researches have proven that nm23-H1 gene is a tumor metastatic suppressor gene, however, it is still unknown about its exact molecular mechanisms. Site-directed mutagenesis can correctly change the base sequence and get mutant proteins. The aim of this study is to construct nm23-H1 mutant and EGFP fusion genes by site-directed mutagenesis, and to provide basement for studying the functional and biochemical mechanisms of nm23-H1 gene.

METHODSSite-directed mutagenesis of nm23-H1 gene was performed by modified QuikChange™ Site-directed Mutagenesis Kit method. Pure plasmid containing fusion gene of nm23-H1 and EGFP (PLXSN-nm23-H1-EGFP) was mini-prepared. Four pairs of mutagenic primers were synthesized in vitro and the desired five mutations, S44A, P96S, H118F, S120G and P96S-S120G were introduced into nm23-H1-EGFP fusion gene by PCR.

RESULTSFive nm23-H1 mutant and EGFP fusion genes, nm23-H1(S44A)-EGFP, nm23-H1(P96S)-EGFP, nm23-H1 (H118F)-EGFP, nm23-H1(S120G)-EGFP and nm23-H1(P96S-S120G)-EGFP, were successfully constructed. The results of DNA sequencing confirmed that the base sequences of the mutant fusion genes were completely concordant with experiment design.

CONCLUSIONSFive nm23-H1 mutant and EGFP fusion genes are successfully constructed, which can be used in further studies. QuikChange™ site-directed mutagenesis is a simple, rapid and efficient method.

BACKGROUNDThe results of our previous studies have proven that nm23-H1 gene can suppress metastasis of lung cancer, which may be associated with suppression of the Wnt signal pathway through up-regulating the activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β), the key kinase of the Wnt signal pathway. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of point mutation of nm23-H1 gene on GSK-3β activity in cytoplasm and nucleus in human high-metastatic large cell lung cancer cell line L9981.

METHODSUsing immunoprecipitation and a radioactive isotope scintillation counter, the activity of GSK-3β was detected in cytoplasm and nucleus of human low-metastatic large cell lung cancer cell line NL9980, human high-metastatic large cell lung cancer cell line L9981, L9981-pEGFP (transfected with vector), L9981-nm23-H1-pEGFP (transfected with wild type nm23-H1), L9981-nm23-H1 S44A -pEGFP mutant (transfected with serine 44 to alanineon of nm23-H1 gene), L9981-nm23-H1 P96S -pEGFP mutant (transfected with proline 96 to serine of nm23-H1 gene), L9981-nm23-H1 H118F -pEGFP mutant (transfected with histidine 118 to phenylalanine of nm23-H1 gene) and L9981-nm23-H1 S120G -pEGFP mutant (transfected with serine 120 to glycine of nm23-H1 gene).

RESULTSThe GSK-3β activity in cytoplasm and nucleus was remarkably decreased in the transgene lung cancer cell lines transfected with mutant nm23-H1 cDNA (L9981-nm23-H1 S44A -pEGFP, L9981-nm23-H1 P96S -pEGFP, L9981-nm23-H1 H118F -pEGFP and L9981-nm23-H1 S120G -pEGFP). Significant differences of GSK-3β activity in cytoplasm and nucleus were observed (P < 0.05) when L9981-nm23-H1-pEGFP cell line was compared with L9981-nm23-H1 S44A -pEGFP, L9981-nm23-H1 P96S -pEGFP, L9981-nm23-H1 H118F -pEGFP and L9981-nm23-H1 S120G -pEGFP lung cancer cell lines. There was a highly significant difference in GSK-3β activity in the cytoplasm between L9981-nm23-H1-pEGFP cell line and L9981-nm23-H1 P96S -pEGFP lung cancer cell line (P < 0.01 ). A highly significant difference in GSK-3β activity in the nucleus was observed (P < 0.01) when L9981-nm23-H1-pEGFP lung cancer cell line was compared with L9981-nm23-H1 S44A -pEGFP, L9981-nm23-H1 P96S -pEGFP and L9981-nm23-H1 H118F -pEGFP lung cancer cell lines.

CONCLUSIONS(1) Point mutation of nm23-H1 gene can significantly influence the regulating effects on the GSK-3β activity in the cytoplasm and nucleus in the human high-metastatic large cell lung cancer cell line L9981. (2) The effects of nm23-H1 gene on metastatic phenotype may be related to the upregulation of GSK-3β activity in human high-metastatic large cell lung cancer cell line L9981.