Color blindness represents a group of vision disorders characterized by lack of ability to distinguish different colors.The inherited color blindness has been regarded as incurable for a long period of time.Recently,adeno-associated virus(AAV) mediated gene therapy has successfully restored cone system vision in animal models with color blindness caused by different gene mutations.These mutations are presented in human color blindness patients.It is predicted that gene therapy will become a novel treatment for these color blindness victims.In addition,a single gene transfer may achieve long-term correction of color deficiency.

Child ; Collagen Type IV ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; methods ; Kidney ; pathology ; Male ; Nephritis, Hereditary ; diagnosis ; pathology

Animals ; Cyanides ; toxicity ; Mice ; Random Allocation ; Toxicity Tests, Chronic

Objective: By taking the holism and differentiation concepts of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as the guidance, physical, mental and workplace factors were recruited in the observation of depression in employees, and were systematically classified to establish a workplace-related Liver Meridian-depression scale, for providing an evaluation index for depression in employees. Methods: NVIVO 11 software was adopted to assort ancient TCM classics. Based on the holism and differentiation concepts of TCM and well-developed scales, the item pool was determined via brain storm and screened by Delphi method after classified; a Wechat questionnaire was handed out 240 times via the online system 'Wen Juan Xing', and the results were statistically analyzed by the SPSS 17.0 version software. Results: Five dimensions consisting of 80 items were obtained after classification, and 60 items were selected by Delphi method; a total of 216 questionnaires were returned and the return rate was 90%. Of which, 215 questionnaires were valid ones, and the valid rate was 99%. By exploratory factor analysis (EFA), 44 items were obtained, and the aggregate split-half reliability coefficient was 0.922. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the five dimensions, i.e. Liver Meridian, relevant meridians, basic psychological activities, work cognition and emotional reactions, was respectively 0.841, 0.842, 0.914, 0.836 and 0.839, indicating a content internal consistency. The score of each item was highly correlated with the corresponding dimension, and the intercommunity was between 0.474 and 0.801. Nine factors were generated, 2 in the dimension of Liver Meridian, 3 in the dimension of relevant meridians, 2 in the dimension of basic psychological activities, 1 in the dimension of work cognition, and 1 in the dimension of emotional reactions, and the load of each factor was between 0.438 and 0.859. The reliability and validity of the scale were well examined. Conclusion: The scale can be applied to evaluate the qi activities of Liver Meridian and depression symptoms related to workplace.

Objective To observe the effects of chronic arsenic exposure on estrogen receptor-binding fragment-associated gene 9 (Ebag9) and estrogen-responsive finger protein (efp) mRNA expression in female rat' s myocardium.Methods Fifty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups according to arsenic (As2O3) concentrations in drinking-water:0.00(control),0.05,0.10,0.20,0.40 mg/L groups and RT-PCR was used to detect Ebag9 and efp mRNA expression of myocardium at the 32 weeks of experiment.Results Ebag9 and efp mRNA expression levels in 0.00,0.05,0.10,0.20,0.40 mg/L groups were respectively as follows:0.54 ±0.14,0.52 ± 0.10,0.48 ± 0.24,0.58 ± 0.13,0.45 ± 0.19 and 0.85 ± 0.14,0.86 ± 0.12,0.87 ± 0.09,0.99 ±0.10,0.86 ± 0.19.Compared to the control group,Ebag9 mRNA level of the 0.20 mg/L group was increased,and decreased in other groups,but the difference between two groups was not significant(all P ＞ 0.05).Compared to control group,the efp mRNA level of 0.20 mg/L group increased significantly(P ＜ 0.05),and showed increased tendency in other arsenic groups,but the difference between two groups was not significant (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Ebag9 and efp mRNA expression have changed in myocardium of rats exposed to chronic arsenic.Arsenic may has endocrine disruptor effect to female rat's myocardium.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-FMRI) in guiding the dose reduction and functional protection of the motor cortex during postoperative radiotherapy for brain astrocytoma.Methods This study included 27 brain astrocytoma patients with tumors near the motor cortex,who underwent routine MRI and BOLD-FMRI before postoperative radiotherapy.The location and scope of the motor cortex,which were acquired based on BOLD-FMRI results,were marked on positioning CT images,so that the motor cortex would be dealt with as organs at risk.The dose to the motor cortex was reduced as much as possible while ensuring the therapeutic dose to the target area.Finally,the radiotherapy plan that would reduce the mean received dose of the motor cortex was formulated and compared with the routine plan that could not reduce the received dose.Results With the protective radiotherapy plan,the mean received dose of the motor cortex decreased 0.76％-59.20％ (mean 30.78％) on the affected side and 23.33％-68.30％ (mean 48.07％) on the unaffected side;the coefficients of variation were 71.41％ on the affected side and 36.71％ on the unaffected side.Conclusions BOLD-FMRI can help to reduce the received dose of the motor cortex while ensuring the therapeutic dose to the target area when formulating the postoperative radiotherapy plan for brain astrocytoma,thus protecting the motor function and improving patients' quality of life.

Objective To explore the effect of Fas/FasL pathway on fluoride.induced apoptosis in hurnan neumbla8toma SH-SY5Y cells.Methods The cell survival rate,percentage of apoptosis,and mRNA expression levels of Fas and FasL were measured respectively after the SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to O(control),20,40,80 mg/L sodium nuoride(NaF)for 24 hours/n vitro.Furthermore,the changes of the percentage of apoptosis and mRNA expression levels of Fas and FasL in 40 mg/L NaF-treated groups incubated with activaling or neutralizing anti-Fas antibody(CH11 or ZB4)also observed respectively.Results Compared with the control group(100.00%), the cell surval rates in 40,80 mg/L NaF-treated groups[(84.63±2.57)%,(69.04±5.63)%]were significandy lower(P<0.01).The percentage of apoptosis in 40,80 mg/L NaF.treated groups[(8.54±1.95)%.(17.94±2.71)%]were higher(P<0.05)than thal in the control group[(3.32±1.33)%],and increased with the dose of NaF.NaF could up-regulate Fas and FasL mRNA expression,and increased the Fas/β-actin [40 ms/L group (0.94±0.51),80 mg/L group(0.99±0.12)]and FasL/β-actin[40 mg/L group(0.96±0.42),80 mg/L group(0.99±0.24)] ratio,compared with the control[Eas/β-actin(0.50±0.33),FasL/β-actin(0.58±0.23)],both the difference had 8tatistical significances (P<0.05).NaF and CH I 1 had a synergisfic effect on apoptosis and mRNA expression levels of Fas and FasLL(F=32.89,18.46,.14.69,P<0.01)while NaF and ZB4 had an antagonistic effect (F=5.73,24.26,10.17,P<0.05 or<0.01).Conclusion NaF exposure can cause apoptosis in SH-Y5Y cells,and the Fas/FasL pmhway may play an important role in NaF-induced apoptosis.

OBJECTIVETo explore the analgesic mechanism of small knife needle for treating transverse process syndrome of the third vertebra (TPSTV) by observing peripheral and central changesof β-endorphin (β-EP) and enkephalin (ENK) contents.

METHODSTotally 30 Japanese white big-ear rabbits of clean grade were divided into 5 groups according to random digit table, i.e., the normal control group, the model group, the small knife needle group, the electroacupunture (EA) group, and the small knife needle plus EA group, 6 in each group. The TPSTV model was established by inserting a piece of gelatin sponge into the left transverse process of 3rd lumbar vertebrae. Rabbits in the small knife needlegroup were intervened by small knife needle. Those in the EA group were intervened by EA at bilateralWeizhong (BL40). Those in the small knife needle plus EA group were intervened by small knife needleand EA at bilateral Weizhong (BL40). Contents of β-EP and ENK in plasma, muscle, spinal cord, and hypothalamus were determined after sample collection at day 28 after modeling.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, contents of β-EP and ENK in plasma and muscle increased significantly, and contents of β-EP and ENK in spinal cord and hypothalamus decreased significantly in the model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Contents of β-EP and ENK approximated normal levels in the three treatment groups after respective treatment. Compared with the model group, the content of β-EP in muscle decreased, and contents of β-EP and ENK in hypothalamus increased in the three treatment groups after respective treatment (P < 0.05). There were no significant difference among the three treatment groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSmall knife needle treatment and EA had benign regulation on peripheral and central β-EP and ENK in TPSTV rabbits. Small knife needle treatment showed better effect than that of EA.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Enkephalins ; metabolism ; Hypothalamus ; metabolism ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; pathology ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Needles ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism ; Spinal Diseases ; therapy ; beta-Endorphin ; metabolism

Objective To study the influence of arsenic exposure on menstruation.Methods A cluster sampling method was applied to select the subjects of women aged 10 to 65 from Linhe,Hangjinhouqi and Wuyuan counties in Inner Mongolia in 2004.Drinking water samples were collected to detect arsenic levels,and menstrual related situation was surveyed.The subjects were divided into four groups according to drinking water arsenic concentration:control(≤0.01 mg/L),low(＞ 0.01-0.10 mg/L),moderate(＞ 0.10-0.20 mg/L) and high(＞ 0.20mag/L).Results A total of 602 women were surveyed.There were 83 subjects exposed to arsenic before menarche and their menarche age was (14.37 ± 1.54) years old.There were 90 people exposed to arsenic before menopause and the menopause age was (48.13-0.41) years old.The age of menarche and menopause were positively related to the years of arsenic exposure,and correlation coefficients were 0.268 and 0.278 (all P ＜ 0.05).Compared to control group(14.0％,16/112),menstrual abnormality rate decreased in low(12.1％,21/173) and high dose groups(10.2％,19/186),while increased in the moderate dose group(18.2％,16/88),but the differences were not statistically significant(x2 =3.664,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Long-term arsenic exposure delays the menarche and menopause age,suggesting that arsenic has certain endocrine disruption or estrogen-like effects.

There have been very few studies on the effect of Gualou Xiebai Banxia decoction combined with Xuefu Zhuyu decoction in inhibiting apoptosis in myocardial ischemial injury caused by coronary heart disease. In this experiment, Gualou Xiebai Banxia decoction combined with-Xuefu Zhuyu decoction were used to intervene the miniature swine phlegm and blood stasis type coronary heart disease model, in order to observe the effect of the combined prescription on the myocardial apoptosis and the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-9 in the model. Totally 15 Chinese experimental miniature swine were adopted and randomly divided into the control group, the model group and the phlegm and stasis-treating group. The model group and the stasis-treating group were fed with high fat diets for two weeks, intervened with the coronary artery injury and then given drugs and high fat diets for eight weeks. The control group was fed with ordinary diets for 10 weeks, without the coronary artery injury. After the experiment, myocardia at the juncture of infracted areas were collected and made into formalin-fixed paraffin sections. The TDT-mediate dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was used to detect the myocardial apoptosis. The immunohistochemistry (IHC) technique was applied to detect Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-9 levels in myocardial tissues. According to the findings, the apoptosis indexes (AI) for the control group, the model group and the phlegm and stasis-treating group were 0.92%, 27.68%, 17.28%, respectively. The AI of the phlegm and stasis-treating group was significantly lower than that of the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the phlegm and stasis-treating group showed significantly higher Bcl-2 protein expression (P < 0.01) and lower Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 protein expressions (P < 0.01). In conclusion, Gualou Xiebai Banxia decoction combined with Xuefu Zhuyu decoction have a significant protective effect against the myocardial apoptosis in miniature swine phlegm and blood stasis type coronary heart disease model.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspases ; metabolism ; Coronary Disease ; drug therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Phytotherapy ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; analysis ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; analysis