Background The measurement of the extraocular muscle is critical for the diagnosis of extraocular muscle diseases,but conventional medical imaging techniques present some shortcomings because of the contact pattern.The anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) is thought to be an in vivo noninvasive optical diagnostic imaging method.Objective This clinical study attempted to seek an available approach to the evaluation of the anatomic structure of human horizontal rectus insertion with Visante OCT.Methods One hundred and fourteen eyes of 58 subjects were included in this study and were divided into the low refractive power group (≤-3.00 D) with 43 eyes,moderate refractive power group(＞-3.00 D-≤-6.00 D) with 49 eyes and high refractive power group(＞-6.00 D) with 22 eyes.The horizontal rectus insertion distance to the scleral spur and its thickness were measured by Visante OCT.The correlation of the refractive power with the rectus insertion distance or thickness was analyzed.Written informed consent was obtained from each subject before medial assessment.Results The average distance from the scleral spur to the lateral and medial rectus insertion were (5.23±0.50)mm and (3.81±0.46)mm respectively.The average thickness of the lateral and medial rectus insertions were (0.39±0.06)mm and (0.39±0.06)mm respectively,showing no significant differences in comparison with those of ultrasound biomicroscopy (P=0.338,P=0.759).The lateral and medial rectus insertion distances were (5.25±0.45)mm and (3.74±0.53)mm in the low refractive power the group,(5.22±0.60)mm and (3.81±0.42)mm in the moderate group and (5.20±0.35)mm and (3.90±0.42)mm in the high refractive power group,presenting inconsiderable difference among these three groups(lateral rectus: χ2=0.054,P=0.974;medial rectus: F=0.508,P=0.604).The thickness of the lateral and medial rectus insertions were (0.41±0.06)mm and (0.40±0.06)mm in the low refractive power group,(0.40±0.07)mm and (0.37±0.07)mm in the moderate refractive power group,(0.36±0.05)mm and (0.39±0.05)mm in the high refractive power group with a significant difference among lateral rectus (F=4.922,P=0.009) but not medial rectus (F=2.152,P=0.125).The lateral rectus insertions thickness in the high refractive power group was thinner than that in low refractive power group (P＜0.05).A positive correlation was found between refractive power and the thickness of lateral or medial rectus insertions (r=0.284,P＜0.01).Conclusion Visante OCT is a uscful way in measuring the distance and thickness of the extraocular muscles.Lateral rectus insertions thickness tends to be thinner with the worsening of myopia,which is obvious in high myopia.

Cardiomyopathies ; complications ; Diverticulum ; complications ; Hematoma ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of vitrectomy and pan-retinal photocoagulation followed with Ahmed implantation in management of neovascular glaucoma ( NVG) retrospectively.
METHODS: Vitrectomy combined with pan retinal photocoagulation and Ahmed implantation was performed on 15 cases ( 15 eyes ) with NVG. All patients were followed up for 12 ~ 36mo. The change of intraocular pressure (IOP), visual acuity, neovascularization of iris, complications were observed.
RESULTS: The visual acuity of 10 eyes was improved postoperative. IOP of postoperative 1, 6 and 12mo were decreased significantly compared with preoperative ( P<0.01 ) . Neovascularization of iris was reduced dramatically. No serious complications occurred.
CONCLUSION: Vitrectomy combined with pan retinal photocoagulation followed Ahmed implantation can manage NVG effectively.

0.05).Conclusions Serum NT-proBNP level is sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of pneumonia complicated with CHF and CHD complicated with CHF. There is an increasing tendency of NT-proBNP level companied increasing pulmonary pressure.

Phosphate-dissolving microorganisms are widely distributed in soil, rhizosphere and other ecological environment. Understanding the characteristics of these microorganisms in solubilizing phosphates is helpful to apply them in improving P use efficiency. The obtained results indicated that the fungi had much higher capacity to dissolve the rock than the bacteria. Existence of Fe, Al, Mg and Na in the culture media reduced the rock solubilization by the bacteria, but increased the solubilization of the fungi. The higher content of the rock in the media, the lower capacity of the rock phosphate solubilization was found. The capacity was also significantly reduced if the concentration of C material in the media was higher than 3%. It was also found that the microorganisms destroyed the rock structure. The P was more easily released from the rock at further incubation. In conclusion, there is some potential to utilize the microorganisms to activate the rock phosphate.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of thunder-fire moxibustion for hypomenorrhea after induced abortion. Methods: A total of 74 patients with hypomenorrhea after induced abortion were randomized into two groups, with 37 cases in each group. The control group was treated with conventional hormone sequential therapy, and the observation group was treated with thunder-fire moxibustion. The course of treatment was 3 menstrual cycles. The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom scores, menstrual volume, endometrial thickness and the sex hormone levels were observed before and after treatment. The clinical efficacy was compared after treatment. Results: The total effective rate in the observation group and the control group was 91.4％ and 73.5％, respectively, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). After treatment, the TCM symptom scores in both groups decreased significantly (all P<0.05), and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The menstrual volume, endometrial thickness and each sex hormone level of the patients in both groups were significantly improved after treatment (all P<0.05), and the improvements in the observation group were more significant than those in the control group (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Thunder-fire moxibustion can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of patients with hypomenorrhea after induced abortion; it can increase menstrual volume and endometrial thickness, and regulate the sex hormone levels, producing a better curative effect than the conventional hormone sequential therapy.

Female ; Humans ; Endometriosis

In the present study, the specifically knockdown models of P-gp or MRP2 were constructed by using a series of chemically synthesized small interfering RNA (siRNA) in vitro. The expression of P-gp and MRP2 was measured by real-time PCR and Western blot, and the function was evaluated by applying P-gp and MRP2 substrate, rhodamine and methotrexate. The results showed that MRP2 siRNA-3 or P-gp siRNA-2 significantly decreased the mRNA expression of MRP2 or P-gp, the inhibition ratio was 68% or 84%; MRP2 siRNA-3 or P-gp siRNA-2 at a dose of 80 nmol x L(-1) significantly reduced the protein expression of MRP2 or P-gp at 48 h after treatment, the inhibition ratio was 62% or 70%. Meanwhile, other transporters were not influenced by siRNA. When pretreatment with MRP2 siRNA-3 or P-gp siRNA-2, the efflux of methotrexate or rhodamine decreased significantly and the intra-cellular concentration increased. The results suggested that chemically synthesized siRNA could significantly inhibit the expression and function of MRP2 and P-gp, and the model of RNAi in vitro could be used to evaluate the role of efflux transporters in transportation of drugs.
ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; genetics ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of peimine on excision repair cross-complementation 1 (ERCC1) mRNA and lung resistant protein (LRP) expressions in A549/cisplatin (DDP) multidrug resistance (MDR) cell line.

METHODSLung cancer A549/DDP cells were cultured in vitro.Cells at logarithmic growth phase were divided into 4 groups, i.e., the blank control group, the DDP group, the ligustrazine group (DDP+ligustrazine), the peimine group (DDP + peimine). After 48-h drug action, ERCC1 mRNA expression was detected by RT-PCR and LRP expression detected by cell immunofluorescence.

RESULTSThere was no statistical difference in expression levels of ERCC1 mRNA and LRP between the DDP group and the blank control group (P > 0.05). Compared with the DDP group, expression levels of ERCC1 mRNA and LRP obviously decreased in the ligustrazine group and the peimine group (P < 0.05). They were obviously lower in the peimine group than in the ligustrazine group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPeimine could reverse MDR of A549/DDP cell line. Its mechanism might be associated with down-regulating ERCC1 mRNA and LRP expression levels.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Cevanes ; pharmacology ; Cisplatin ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Down-Regulation ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; drug effects ; Endonucleases ; genetics ; Humans ; Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-1 ; genetics ; Lung Neoplasms ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism

Objective:To explore clinical and histopathological characteristics of primary biliary cirrho-sis-autoimmune hepatitis overlap syndrome.Methods:Clinical data and pathological findings of 10 pa-tients were reviewed.Results:Serum glutamine transpeptidase,alkaline phosphatase levels,alaninetransaminase,aspartate transaminase,serum IgG and IgM were elevated in all the patients.They were allpositive for anti-mitochondrial antibody and AMA-M2.Nine patients were positive for anti-nuclear anti-body and one patient was positive for anti liver-kidney microsome antibody.Liver biopsies in these pa-tients revealed:ten patients had bile duct lesion,hepatitis activities ranged from moderate to severe,andfibrosis ranged from S1 to S3.Conclusion:PBC-AIH overlap syndrome is mostly found in middle-agedwomen.It has the clinical and histopathological characteristics of both PBC and AIH.Accurate andprompt diagnosis of overlap syndrome patients should be based on the clinical presentation,biochemicaland immune indexes,and hepalic pathological changes.