Humans ; Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament ; surgery

AIM: To evaluate posterior capsular opacification (PCO) with hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lens (IOL, Sensar AR40e) and silicone IOLs after cataract surgery, to use a software program developed to provide an objective assessment of the amount of PCO in the digital images of the posterior capsule to quantify PCO. METHODS: Ninety-eight eyes underwent standardized phacoemulsification and "in the bag" IOL placement, were randomized to receive a three piece lens of hydrophobic acrylic or silicone, but lens materials were different in one case. In year 1 and 2, digitized retro-illumination images were taken from the posterior capsule. Images were analyzed by POCO software program, removing the Purkinje light reflexes, contrast enhancement, filtering to enhance low-density PCO. RESULTS: The percentage of PCO were 0.32±0.13 of hydrophobic acrylic IOLs in year 1, compared with 0.39±0.17 of silicone (P=0.37). In year 2, the percentage of PCO were 0.42±0.20 with hydrophobic acrylic IOLs and 0.34±0.18 with silicone IOLs (P=0.50). Of those patients with PCO in year 1 and 2, severity grades were 0.50±0.30 and 0.82±0.58 of hydrophobic acrylic cases, compared with 0.63±0.35 and 0.55±0.35 of patients with silicone IOLs (P=0.52,P=0.69) with no statistical significance.CONCLUSION: The POCO system is capable of producing an objective and repeatable measure of PCO that is relevant to assessing techniques of PCO prevention.

Background Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a safe and effective therapy to the treatment of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG),and the clinical application is approved by American FDA.However,the relevant researching outcomes from several single-center study are in dispute owing to non-uniform approach in China.A muhicenter clinical trial is need to verify the effectiveness of SLT for Chinese POAG.Objective This study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of SLT in Chinese POAG patients.Methods A prospective,multicenter and self-controlled clinical trail was designed.Sixty-two eyes of 62 POAG patients with the age of ≥ 18 years were enrolled.Frequency SLT was performed around 360° angle using Lumenis Selecta DuetTM or Lumenis Selecta Ⅱ laser instrument,with the 100 non-overlapping spots,3 ns preset time,400 μm size of laser spot and 0.6 mJ energy.The operated eyes were followed-up for 6 months.The curative effects were checked including intraocular pressure (IOP),IOP-lowing value,number and percentage of IOP-lowing 20％ and 30％.The therapyrelated complications were recorded including the number of conjunctival congestion and cloudy of the anterior chamber.Results The preoperative IOP was (25.7±2.6) mmHg in the 62 eyes.The IOP was significantly lowed 1 day,2 weeks,4 weeks,3 months and 6 months after SLT in comparison with preoperative IOP (all at P＜0.001) with the lowest value of (16.5±4.5)mmHg in postoperative day 1.IOP was stable from 4 weeks to 6 months after operation.The mean lowing-value of IOP was 5.3-9.2 mmHg from 1 day through 6 months after SLT.The percentage of eyes 20％ drop in lOP was 83.9％,and that of 30％ drop was 58.1％ in postoperative day 1.In 6 months after SLT,percentages of eyes 20％ and 30％ drop in IOP were 56.5％ and 27.4％,respectively.Conclusions SLT is a safe and effective method of lowing IOP for POAG eyes in Chinese population.

Objective To investigate the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype on antiviral therapy in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/HCV coinfection in Henan province.Methods A total of 129 patients were coinfected with HIV and HCV, among whom, 70 were HCV 1b genotype and 57 HCV 2a genotype.And 131 patients were HIV single infection.Immunological failure rate, virological suppression, CD4+ T lymphocyte counts and liver and renal function after antiretroviral therapy (ART) were compared among the three groups.Flow cytometry was used to count CD4+ T lymphocytes and polymerase chain reaction amplification was used to detect HIV RNA.The liver and renal function were tested by automatic biochemical analysis.Statistical analysis was conducted by χ2 test, analysis of variance and LSD-t method.ResultsImmunological failure rate in HCV 1b group, HCV 2a group and HIV single infection group were 7.14% (5/70), 15.79% (9/57) and 9.92% (13/131), respectively.There was no significant statistical difference among the three groups (χ2=2.59, P>0.05).The CD4+ T lymphocyte counts in three groups were (614±258), (529±245), and (518±243) cells/μL, respectively.The difference was statistically significant (F=3.17, P<0.05).The virus inhibition rates of three groups were 87.0% (HCV 1b), 78.2% (HCV 2a), and 82.3% (HIV single infection).The HIV virus failure rates were 8.6% (HCV 1b), 14.5% (HCV 2a), and 13.1% (HIV single infection).There was no significant difference among three groups (χ2=1.967, P>0.05).The levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase and total bilirubin in HCV 1b group and HCV 2a group were all significantly higher than those in HIV single infection group (F=27.38, 15.22 and 7.33, respectively, all P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between HCV 1b and HCV 2a groups (t=1.27, 0.29 and 1.59, respectively, all P>0.05).Conclusions The main HCV genotypes in patients with HIV/HCV coinfection by blood transmission are HCV 1b and HCV 2a in Henan province.HIV/HCV coinfection does not affect the effect of ART, but could aggravate the liver damage in acquired immune deficiency syndrome patients.

Objective To analyze the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of epidemic encephalitis B in Yuneheng area of Shanxi Province in 2006.Methods Seventy-nine cases diagnosed with epidemic encephalitis B were enrolled in this study and correlated data,epidemic and clinical characteristics,laboratory examinations and treatment outcome were analyzed.Results Sixty-two of 79 patients(78.5%)were middle-aged or old people,all cases(100%)occurred in July,August and September,69 cases(87.3%)were peasants.All patients(100%)had fever,73(92.4%)had conscious disturbance,27(34.2%)had respiratory failure.Encephalitis B specific IgM antibody was examined and 40 cases(85.1%)were positive.Twenty cases(25.3%)had complications.When they were discharged,37 cases(46.8%)recovered completely,14 cases(17.7%)died,12 were improved and 16 were voluntarily discharged,7 cases(8.9%)left more or less neurological deficits. Conclusion The epidemiology and clinical characteristics are important basis to diagnose epidemic encephalitis B.

Objective: To observe the effect of the acupuncture plus medication on the expression of silent information regulator of transcription 1 (SIRT1) and transcription factor forkhead box protein O3a (FOXO3a) in the hippocampus, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of rats with Alzheimer disease (AD), and to explore the possible mechanism of combining acupuncture and medication in improving AD-related neurological symptoms. Methods: Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a normal group, a model group, an electroacupuncture (EA) group, a drug group, and an acupuncture-medication combined group by the random number table method, with 12 rats in each group. The model was established by micro-injection of streptozotocin into the bilateral lateral ventricles. After successful modeling, rats in the EA group received EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Dazhui (GV14), those in the drug group received intragastric administration of resveratrol at a dose of 44 mg/(kg·bw), and those in the acupuncture- medication combined group received the combined intervention of EA and resveratrol. Rats in each group received intervention once a day for 4 consecutive weeks. Morris water maze was used to detect the rat behavioral changes. Nissl staining method was used to observe the cell morphology and changes in the number of rat hippocampal neurons. Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining methods were used to observe the expression changes of SIRT1 and FOXO3a. The thiobarbituric acid method was used to detect the MDA content. SOD activity was determined by the hydroxylamine method. Results: Compared with the normal group, the escape latency was significantly prolonged (P<0.05); the percentage of stay in the target quadrant was reduced (P<0.05), the hippocampal neuronal cells were shrunken, nucleoli were unclear, and cell number was reduced (P<0.05); the SIRT1 expression and SIRT1 positive cell number were decreased, while the FOXO3a expression and FOXO3a positive cell number were increased significantly (P<0.05); the MDA content was increased significantly, and the SOD activity was decreased significantly (P<0.05) in the model group. Compared with the model group, the escape latency was shortened (P<0.05); the percentage of stay in the target quadrant was increased (P<0.05); the shape and number of hippocampal neurons tended to be normal (P<0.05); the SIRT1 protein expression and the SIRT1 positive cell numbers were increased, the FOXO3a protein expression and the FOXO3a positive cell number were decreased (P<0.05); the MDA content was significantly decreased, and the SOD activity was significantly increased (P<0.05) in the EA group, the drug group, and the acupuncture-medication combined group. The changes in the acupuncture-medication combined group were more obvious (P<0.05). Conclusion: Both EA and resveratrol improve the learning and memory ability of AD rats by regulating the expression of SIRT1 and FOXO3a and improving the levels of MDA and SOD in the hippocampus and protect the hippocampal neurons, while the combined use of EA and medication is more effective than EA or resveratrol alone, suggesting that this combined treatment is more effective in AD treatment.

Lidamycin (LDM) is a potent antitumor antibiotic. Previous studies have shown that LDM could inhibit proliferation and migration in endothelial cells. In the present report, the effect of LDM on angiogenesis of zebrafish embryo was studied. The results showed that treatment of zebrafish embryos with LDM resulted in significant inhibition of angiogenesis. Morphological observation, quantitative endogenous alkaline phosphatase (EAP) assay, alkaline phosphatase staining, and transgenic zebrafish assay were performed to evaluate vascular development defects in zebrafish. The results indicated that after the zebrafish embryos were exposed to LDM, angiogenesis defects of zebrafish embryos were observed, including pericardial edema, reduced numbers of circulating red blood cells, suppression of zebrafish vessel growth, and absences of SIV (subintestinal vein). The expression of VEGF was detected by RT-PCR assay, quantitative reverse transcriptase real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay and Western blotting analysis. The results revealed that LDM could inhibit the expression of VEGF protein, while the expression of mRNA was not significantly affected. The study suggests that LDM could inhibit the zebrafish embryo angiogenesis by down-regulation ofVEGF expression.

Objective To determine the effect of iron deficiency on hemoglobin A2(HbA2) expression in patients with β-thalassemia.Methods The participants were recruited from the out-patient clinics of the Pediatrics Department and Obstetrics Department of Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical College and from some β-thalassemia major families.Blood samples from the participants were used for blood smear tests and hemoglobin electrophoresis and to analyze serum ferritin (SF),3 alpha-globin gene deletions,and 17 beta-globin point mutations.Results Of the 408 individuals,304 were assigned to group A (normal controls),26 to group B (iron deficiency),56 to group C (β-thalassemia),and 22 to group D (β-thalassemia combined with iron deficiency). The results for the comparison of the mean HbA2 values among pairs of groups were as follows: group A vs group B,q=5.074 7,P<0.05; group A vs group C,q=37.650 8,P<0.05; group A vs group D,q=16.043 0,P<0.05;group C vs group D,q=7.682 9,P<0.05; Group B vs group D,q=15.806 6,P<0.05. There were no significant correlation between SF and HbA2 in all 4 groups.Conclusions Iron deficiency decreased the HbA2 level in both controls and individuals with β-thalassemia. HbA2 levels decreased significantly in individuals with both β-thalassemia and iron deficiency as compared with β-thalassemia group alone. However,they remained significantly higher than both the control and iron-deficient groups. Therefore,the elevation of HbA2 could be used to diagnose β-thalassemia reliably even in the presence of iron deficiency.

BACKGROUND:Clinical trials have shown that oral administration of valsartan can decrease in-stent restenosis after stent implantation.But whether valsartan used locally also has the sanle effect and the possible mechanism should be validated.OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of valsartan-eluting stents on collagen deposition in neointima and AT2 receptor expression after implanting valsartan-eluting stents into rabbit abdominal orta.DESIGN:Randomized and controlled animal experiment.SETTING:Beijing Friendship Hospital.MATERIALS:The experiment was performed at the Laboratory of Beijing Friendship Hospital between October 2004 and March 2006.Fifteen New Zealand white rabbits,irrespective of gender,weighing 2.75-3.25 kg were selected(Animal Laboratory of Beijing Friendship Hospital).The rabbits were adaptively fed for one week.All the operations of rabbits during the experiment were accorded with animal ethical standards.Valsartan powder was presented as a gift by Novartis.China;Reagent of MASSON was provided by Department of Pathology of Beijing Friendship Hospital;1%picrosirius solution was provided by the Department of Pathology of China-Japan Friendship Hospital:Mice-anti-rabbit monoclonal AT2 antibody was product of Santa Cruz Biotechnology (USA);Envision reagent was purphased from Dako;primers were synthesized by SBS Genetech(SBS).METHODS:①The animals were randomized into bare-metal stent group,carrier-eluting stent group and valsartan-eluting stent group with 5 animals in each group.All rabbits were implanted with corresponding types of above-mentioned stents into abdominal aortas down below renal artery.②Quantitative angiography before,immediately after and 3 months after stent implantation were performed to compare vascular diameters of the aortas.③Three months Iater,the rabbits were executed after anaesthesia.The vessels with stents were processed with HE staining.Indices of the vascular neointimal formation,I.e. iBrier and external elastic membrane luminal area,the maximal intimal thickness,neointimal area and stenosis area percent were measured.④The collagen deposition in neointima was observed through MASSON staining,and the type of collagen was identified through picrosirius stain.⑤The expressions of AT2R mRNA and proteins were also compared by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry among three groups.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:①The diameters of aorta with stent at different time;②Inner and extemal elastic membrane luminal area,the maximal intimal thickness,neointimal area and stenosis area percent;③Collagen deposition and type of collagen of the aorta with stent;④AT2R mRNA and protein expressions.RESULTS:Of 15 rabbits selected in the experiment,1 rabbit of the bare-metal stent group died during stent implanting,and 1 of the carrier-eluting stent group died during breeding after stenting.Finally,13 rabbits were included in final analysis.①There were no significant differences in the mean aortic diameters between any two of the three groups before,immediately after and 3 months after stent implantation(P＞0.05).②A larger 1uminal area and a less neointimal hyperplasia in valsartan eluting-stents group were found compared with the other two groups(P＜0.01).③MASSON staining showed that collagen deposition was rich in neointima of bare-metal stent group and carrier-eluting stent group while rare in neointima of valsartan eluting stent group.Pierosirius staining suggested that the deposited collagen was type Ⅲ collagen predominantly accompanied by type Ⅰ collagen around stents struts;the type Ⅲcollagen deposition was obviously decreased in valsartan eluting stent group.④AT2R protein only expressed in adventitia of bare-metal stet group and arrier-eluting stent group while expressed in all layers of valsartan eluting-stents group.The AT2R mRNA/a-Actin mRNA of valsartan eluting stent group was significantly higher than that in the other two groups(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:Valsartan eluting-stents inhibits neointimal hyperplasia after stenting by decreasing collagen deposition.especially collagen Ⅲ.The mechanism may be related with the upregulation of AT2R mRNA and protein expressions by valsartan-eluting stent.

Objective To initially map the gene responsible for autosomal dominant familial IgA nephropathy of a Chinese family by exclusive the five loci that had been reported with linkage analysis.Methods The genetic pattern of the familial IgA nephropathy was identified and the genomic DNA was extracted from the blood samples collected from the family members.Short tandem repeat (STR) inside the loci that had been reported was selected,such as 2q36,3p23-24,4q26-31,6q22-23,17q12-22,and the data with two-point linkage analysis were performed.Results Autosomal dominant inheritance pattern was demonstrated in phenotypes of the family and there was no linkage relationship in the above five loci of chromosomes because the maximum two-point LOD score was 0.39 at D17S1868.Conclusion Following exclusion of the loci which had been reported,there are other new pathopoiesis loci of FIgAN and it reveals that FIgAN has the genetic heterogeneity according to initial result at the same time.