Background It is well known that sclera remodeling occurs during axial elongation in myopia under the control of growth hormone or its downstream effectors.The role of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in myopia has been determined in previous studies.Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) is one of members of the TGF-β superfamily,but if it plays an important role in the genesis and development of myopia is not completely clear.Objective This study was to identify the presence of BMPs in normal guinea pigs sclera and investigate the change of BMPs in the sclera in form-deprivation myopia (FDM) of guinea pigs.Methods Thirty young guinea pigs were randomized into normal control group and experimental group using table of random number.FDM models were established by occluding unilateral eyes of guinea pigs with a translucent lens for 14 days in the experimental group,and the fellow eyes served as the controls.Diopter of all eyes was tested by retinoscopy optometry,and ocular axial length was measured by A-sonography before and after modeling.Posterior sclera tissue of the animals was obtained on 14 days,and the relative expression level of BMPs mRNA and protein were assayed by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blot.The use and care of the animals complied with ARVO Statement.Results On 14 days after occluding of unilateral eyes,the refraction diopter of the experimental group was (-0.48±0.51) D,and that of the fellow eyes was (3.22 ±0.34) D,showing a significant difference between them (t =-12.814,P =0.000).Also,a significant difference in the diopter was seen between the experimental group and normal control group ([-0.48±0.51]D vs.[2.97±0.70]D,t =-11.878,P=0.000).Axial length was (8.30 ± 0.05) mm in the experimental group,(8.11 ±0.06) mm in the fellow eyes and (8.06±0.06) mm in the normal control group,showing a significant increase in the experimental group compared with the fellow eyes and normal control group (t =7.230,P =0.000 ; t =9.084,P=0.000).The expressions of BMP-2 mRNA,BMP-4 mRNA,BMP-5 mRNA in posterior sclera were detected in the normal guinea pigs.Fourteen days after the induction of myopia,the relative levels of BMP-2 mRNA and BMP-5 mRNA in sclera were 0.41 ± 0.11 and 0.65 ± 0.06 in the experimental eyes,which were significantly lower than 0.62 ± 0.07 and 0.84 ± 0.03 in the fellow eyes with the descent range of 34.48％ and 23.67％ respectively (t=2.838,P=0.017; t=2.524,P=0.028).The relative values of BMP-2 protein and BMP-5 protein were 0.44±0.06 and 0.70±0.05 in the experimental eyes,and those of the fellow eyes were 0.61±0.05 and 0.82±0.03,showing significant decline in the experimental eyes with the lowing range of 23.42％ and 15.21％,respectively (t =2.465,P =0.030;t =2.445,P=0.031).No significant differences were found in the expression of BMP-4 mRNA and protein in posterior sclera between the experimental eyes and the normal control eyes (mRNA:t =0.704,P=0.460;protein:t=0.987,P=0.365).Conclusions The expressions of the BMP-2 and BMP-5 in sclera down-regulate significantly in FDM eyes,which suggest that BMP-2 and BMP-5 participate in sclera remodeling during myopia induction.

To discuss the protective effect of aralosides (AS) on I/R-induced rat myocardial injury. The adult rat ventricular myocyte ischemia model was established through perfusion with sodium lactate perfusate and reperfusion with Ca(2+) -containing Tyrode's solution simulation. The cell contraction and ion concentration synchronization determination system was applied to detect the effect of AS on single I/R cell contraction and Ca2+ transients. According to the findings, AS could increase resting sarcomere length, contraction amplitude, ± dL/dt(max), calcium transient amplitude and speed of post-reperfusion myocardial cells (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and decrease in time for achieving 90.0% of maximum relaxation, time for achieving peak value, resting calcium ratio, contraction period [Ca2+] i, time for achieving 50.0% of maximum relaxation and attenuation rate of intracellular calcium transient (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Therefore, it is suggested that AS improved the post-reperfusion cell contraction and injury of calcium homeostasis.
Animals ; Aralia ; chemistry ; Biological Transport ; drug effects ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Myocardial Ischemia ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Myocardial Reperfusion ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Saponins ; administration & dosage

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms ; surgery ; Adrenalectomy ; methods ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; abnormalities ; Laparoscopy ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2a ; surgery ; Pheochromocytoma ; surgery

The Rhei Radix et Rhizoma was one of the most widely used traditional Chinese medicine for its special biological activities. The content of rhein, one of its major compounds, was an important standard for the quantity control of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma. The major method used for the detection of rhein was instrumental analysis like HPLC, but it was complex, time-consuming and cannot detect large samples at the same time. The enzyme-linked imunmosorbent assay (ELISA) was accurate, reliable, simple, low costs, and of a high-throughout. Recently, it was widely used for the determination of those small molecule compounds in some traditional Chinese medicinal plants. In this study, an artificial antigen were synthesized by the carbodiimide (CDI) method. Rhein-bovine (rhein-BSA) conju gate and rhein-ovalbumin (rhein-OVA) conjugate, were produced as the immunogen and coating antigen, respectively. The conjugate and the hapten number in the conjugate were determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometry (UV). The conjugation ratio of Rhein and BSA was about 4.0:1, rhein acid and OVA was 2.6 : 1, respectively. Rhein-BSA conjugate was used to immunize Bal b/c mice to produce antiserum. The antiserum titer of the Rhein were higher than 8000 detected by ELISA. The successfully synthesized conjugate antigen rhein-BSA implies its feasibility in the establishment of fast immunoassay for the rhein content determination.
Animals ; Anthraquinones ; analysis ; immunology ; Antibodies ; analysis ; immunology ; Antigens, Plant ; analysis ; immunology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; instrumentation ; methods ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Rheum ; chemistry ; immunology ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; immunology

Objective To explore the effects of smoking and alcohol drinking on arsenic metabolism of people exposed to different concentrations of arsenic in drinking water.Methods Residents in Shanxi exposed to different concentrations of arsenic in drinking water and age ≥ 18 years old adults were chosen as the subjects for this study in 2008,the subjects were divided into three groups according to the concentrations of arsenic in drinking water: high-arsenic exposure group (more than 0.05 mg/L),low-arsenic exposure group (between 0.01 and 0.05 mg/L) and control group(less than 0.01 mg/L),excluded recently had eaten seafood and had poisoning symptoms of chronic arsenic in drinking water in the crowd.Smoking and alcohol drinking habits were investigated by questionnaire.Arsenic species in the urine samples were detected with hydride generation atomic absorption spectroscopy.Total arsenic(tAs) was the sum of iAs％,MMA％ and DMA％.iAs％,MMA％ and DMA％ were calculated as iAs/tAs,MMA/tAs and DMA/tAs,respectively.The first methylation ratio(FMR) and the secondary methylation ratio(SMR) were calculated as (MMA + DMA)/tAs and DMA/(MMA + DMA),respectively.Results Three hundred and ninety-five adults were chosen in this study.In the high exposure group the alcohol drinking and smoking subjects had higher MMA％(16.24％) but lower SMR(82.19％ ) than the non-drinking and non-smoking subjects (12.16％ and 86.13％,respectively).The differences of both MMA％ and SMR were significant(P ＜ 0.05 ).No significant difference was observed between the non-smoking/non-drinking subjects and the smoking or the drinking subjects(all P ＞ 0.05 ).In the low exposure group there were higher MMA％( 13.86％,13.99％) lower DMA％(72.87％,77.76％)and lower SMR (83.48％,83.90％ ) in those with smoking or drinking/smoking compared with the non-drinking and non-smoking subjects (11.83％,80.35％ and 86.54％,respectively,all P ＜0.05 ).No significant difference was observed between drinkers and non-drinking/non-smoking subjects(P ＞ 0.05).In the control group there were a higher MMA％( 17.27％,17.06％) lower DMA％ (73.89％,72.29％) and lower SMR (81.48％,82.58％ ) in those with smoking or drinking/smoking compared with the non-drinking and nonsmoking subjects( 11.52％,79.68％ and 87.19％,respectively,all P ＜ 0.05).No significant difference was observed between drinkers and the non-drinking/non-smoking subjects (all P ＞ 0.05).ConclusionThe arsenic methylation capacity of people with drinking and smoking is poorer than that of non-drinking and non-smoking subjects after arsenic exposure.

OBJECTIVETo compare therapeutic effects between the normal rehabilitation and combined with manipulative method after arthroscopic capsular release for the treatment of severe frozen shoulder, and to evaluate the application value of manipulationp.

METHODSFrom March 2007 to July 2010,arthroscopic capsular release was performed in 48 cases (48 shoulders, 23 left side, 25 right side). All the patients were divided into two groups: control group (11 males and 15 females) and manipulation group (9 males and 13 females). The patients in the control group were treated with conventional rehabilitation procedure, and the patients in the manipulation group were treated with additional manipulation procedure. From the 2nd day after operation, the manipulation was performed for 20 minutes every time, twice daily, and it continued for 10 days. All the cases were followed up and the scale of American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Assessment Form (ASES self-report section) and the range of motion (ROM) were recorded.

RESULTSThe mean follow-up period was (12.54 +/- 5.78) months (ranging from 4 to 25 months). Both ASES scores and ROM in the manipulation group were better than those in the control group at the 1st month after operation, and the difference between the ASES scores and flexion of the shoulder were significant. However, there was no significan difference at the latest follow-up.

CONCLUSIONCompared with the conventional rehabilitative procedure, manipulation following arthroscopic capsular release could promote the process of joint rehabilitation and help the patient back to normal life earlier, but there is no evidence of long term advantage.

Arthroscopy ; Bursitis ; physiopathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Case-Control Studies ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Capsule Release ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Musculoskeletal Manipulations ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To discuss the clinical characteristic and diagnosis of children with moyamoya disease(MMD).Method The clinical features of 4 children with MMD were analyzed.Results The early clinical spectrum in children with MMD was transiently ischemic attack,and presented with injured neuron manifestations after some seizures,such as paralysis,extremity sensory disturbance, seizure of epilepsy,language disorder,involuntary movement and psychotic symptoms.Magnetic resonance angiography(MRA) and DSA demonstrated multiple cerebral vessels occlusion or stenosis and moyamoya vessels,so MRA became the first choice for detec- ting MMD.Conclusions The clinical symptom and neuron symptom of children MMD may not be typical,and it is easily misdiagnosed.Its correct diagnosis depends on thorough physical examination,appropriate laboratory tests,and the general knowledge of this disease.

AIM:To observe related biological parameters of 3 minutes dark-room provocative test in patients with laser peripheral iridectomy(LPI) in the fellow eyes of acute primary angle-closure (APAC) by ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM).To explore the risk factors in primary angle closure suspect(PACS) patients with progressive angle closure after LPI.METHODS: Seventy-eight eyes of APAC patients without peripheral anterior synechia were selected.Each eye underwent 3 minutes dark-room provocative test after LPI.Anterior segment parameters, including anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber angle open distance500 (AOD500), peripheral iris thickness (PIT), iris convex (IC), the position of iris insertion and trabecular-ciliary process distance (TCPD), and the number of positional angle closure(NPAC) were observed and analyzed by statistic methods.RESULTS:Patients with APAC were examined by UBM after LPI and 26 eyes(33%) occurs at least one positional angle closure,19 eyes(24%)were positive in 3 minutes dark-room provocative test among them.It occurs a positive relationship between the elevation intraocular pressure and the number of positional angle closure in dark-room provocative test(r=0.84, P<0.01).AOD500, IT and IC were significantly changed from normal light to darkroom between positional angle closure positive group and positional angle closure negative group(all P<0.01).In single factor analysis, AOD500(P=0.003), IT(P=0.012), IC(P=0.043), TPCD(P=0.015), the position of iris insertion(P=0.024) were correlative factors of positive results.In multiple-factor analysis, only IT(P=0.011), TPCD(P=0.009), iris root attachment points(P=0.02) were independent risk factors of positive results.CONCLUSION:A certain proportion of patients with PACS after LPI appeared positional angle closure in a dark room.Peripheral iris hypertrophy, anterior displacement of the ciliary body and iris root attachment points are vital risk factors.Long-term follow-up study and intervention treatment are required in these patients after LPI.

Objective:To study the effects of Tongxinluo,a traditional Chinese medicine,on the proliferation of peripheral blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells(EPCs)in vitro.Methods:The Tongxinluo solution was prepared through ultrasonication according to the pervious literature.The mononuclear cells(MNCs)were isolated from the peripheral blood with Ficoll by density gradient centrifugation.MNCs were suspended in Medium 199 containing 20% fetal blood serum(FBS)and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF).After cultured for 7 d,the attached cells were characterized by Di-LDL uptaking and FITC-lectin binding by laser confocal microscope,and further identified through detection of CD34 and CD133 expression by flow cytometry.Then the cultured EPCs were incubated with Tongxinluo at a series of concentrations(0,50,100,200,500, 750,1000?g/ml)for different durations(0,6,12,24 and 36 h).The cell morphology was observed and cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay.Results:Incubation with different concentrations of Tongxinluo increased the proliferative ability of EPCs.Tongxinluo at 500?g/ml had the most prominent effect on proliferation and the effect increased as time went by and reached peak at 36 h(growth rate 54.18%,P

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of organ failure and its risk factors in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) . METHODS: A retrospective analysis was made of 186 patients with SAP who were had been hospitalized in the intensive care unit of Jinzhong First People's Hospital between March 2000 and October 2009. The patients met the diagnostic criteria of SAP set by the Surgical Society of the Chinese Medical Association in 2006. The variables collected included age, gender, etiology of SAP, the number of comorbidit, APACHEII score, contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) pancreatic necrosis, CT severity index (CTSI) , abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) , the number of organ failure, and the number of death. The prevalence and mortality of organ failure were calculated. The variables were analyzed by unconditional multivariate logistic regression to determine the independent risk factors for organ failure in SAP. RESULTS: Of 186 patients, 96 had organ failure. In the 96 patients, 47 died. There was a significant association among the prevalence of organ failure and age, the number of comorbidity, APACHEII score, CECT pancreatic necrosis, CTSI, and ACS. An increase in age, the number of comorbidity, APACHEII score, CECT pancreatic necrosis were correlated with increased number of organ failure. Age, the number of comorbidity, APACHEII score, CECT pancreatic necrosis, CTSI and ACS were assessed by unconditional multivariate logistic regression. CONCLUSIONS: Organ failure occurred in 51.6％ of the 186 patients with SAP. The mortality of SAP with organ failure was 49.0％. Age, the number of comorbidity, APACHEII score, CECT pancreatic necrosis, CTSI and ACS are independent risk factors of organ failure.