AIM: To study the clinical characteristics of corneal perforation ( CP) .
METHODS:A retrospective analysis in July 1995 to July 2010 the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University diagnosed CP 72 patients ( 72 eyes ) , clinical characteristics of all the patients were analyzed.
RESULTS: The incidence of corneal ulcer perforation rised year by year, the morbidity of male and female was 17:7, the onset age focused on 48 years old. Of 23 industrial workers ( 32%) with clear history of trauma, pathogeny identification results:top two:fungal infection and Acanthamoeba keratitis. A using history of glucocorticoid was found in 10 cases.
CONCLUSION:There are plenty of primary causes of CP such as traumas, fungal infection, Acanthamoeba keratitis, eroded keratitis, etc. CP happens in middle-aged males in Fujian province, most traumas are the causes, the main pathogenic bacteria is fungal infection.

Ultrafine powder and cell wall-broken powder of herbal medicine lack of the morphological characters and microscopic identification features. This makes it hard to identify herb's authenticity with traditional methods. We tested ITS2 sequence as DNA barcode in identification of herbal medicine in ultrafine powder and cell wall-broken powder in this study. We extracted genomic DNAs of 93 samples of 31 representative herbal medicines (28 species), which include whole plant, roots and bulbs, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. The ITS2 sequences were amplified and sequenced bidirectionally. The ITS2 sequences were identified using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) method in the GenBank database and DNA barcoding system to identify the herbal medicine. The genetic distance was analyzed using the Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) model and the Neighbor-joining (NJ) phylogenetic tree was constructed using MEGA 6.0. The results showed that DNA can be extracted successfully from 93 samples and high quality ITS2 sequences can be amplified. All 31 herbal medicines can get correct identification via BLAST method. The ITS2 sequences of raw material medicines, ultrafine powder and cell wall-broken powder have same sequence in 26 herbal medicines, while the ITS2 sequences in other 5 herbal medicines exhibited variation. The maximum intraspecific genetic-distances of each species were all less than the minimum interspecific genetic distances. ITS2 sequences of each species are all converged to their standard DNA barcodes using NJ method. Therefore, using ITS2 barcode can accurately and effectively distinguish ultrafine powder and cell wall-broken powder of herbal medicine. It provides a new molecular method to identify ultrafine powder and cell wall-broken powder of herbal medicine in the quality control and market supervision.

BACKGROUNDTourette syndrome (TS) is a complex, heterozygous genetic disorder. The number of molecular genetic studies have investigated several candidate genes, particularly those implicated in the dopamine system. The dopamine D3 receptor (DRD3) gene has been considered as a candidate gene in TS. There was not any report about the association study of TS and DRD3 gene in Han Chinese population. We combined a case-control genetic association analysis and nuclear pedigrees transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) analysis to investigate the association between DRD3 gene rs6280 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and TS in a Han Chinese population.

METHODSA total of 160 TS patients was diagnosed by the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. The DRD3 gene rs6280 SNPs were genotyped by TaqMan SNP genotyping assay technique in all subjects. We used a case-control genetic association analysis to compare the difference in genotype and allele frequencies between 160 TS patients and 90 healthy controls. At the same time, we used TDT analysis to identify the DRD3 gene rs6280 transmission disequilibrium among 101 nuclear pedigrees.

RESULTSThe genotype and allele frequency of DRD3 gene rs6280 SNPs had no statistical difference between control group (90) and TS group (160) (χ2 = 3.647, P = 0.161; χ2 = 0.643, P = 0.423) using Chi-squared test. At the basis of the 101 nuclear pedigrees, TDT analysis showed no transmission disequilibrium of DRD3 gene rs6280 SNPs (χ2 = 0; P = 1).

CONCLUSIONSOur findings provide no evidence for an association between DRD3 gene rs6280 and TS in the Han Chinese population.

Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; genetics ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; Receptors, Dopamine D3 ; genetics ; Tourette Syndrome ; etiology

Objective To explore the effects of oral care on improving cough reflex sensitivity and prolonging time span of recurrent pneumonia. Methods Oral care was conducted among 19 pateints with recurrent pneumonia. Using capsaicin-induced cough reflex method, cough reflex thresholds were measured in 19 patients with recurrent pneumonia before the study began, at the 20th day and the twelfth month after the study began. The recorrent time spans were recorded before and after the oral care at the same time. Results Cough reflex threshold was (1.54±0.06) mmol at the 20th day after the oral care began, which was significantly lower than (2.13±0.05) mmol before the the oral care began (P<0.05); There was no significant difference between the cough reflex thresholds at the 20th day and the twelfth month (1.61±0.08) mmol (P>0.05). Pneumonia recurrent time span (210±54)days was significandy longer after performing the oral care than that (143±71)days of before performing the oral care (P<0.05). Conclusions Oral care may improve the cough reflex sensitivity among pateints with recurrent pneumonia. It can prolong the time span of recurrent pneumonia.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of continuous blood purification on the hemodynamics and oxygenation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

METHODSTwenty-one patients with ARDS were treated with continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH) combined with plasma exchange. Hemodynamics and oxygenation were measured or calculated at scheduled intervals using Swan-Ganz catheters.

RESULTSThe mean arterial pressure, partial pressure of arterial oxygen, oxygen delivery, oxygen consumption increased, heart rate, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, blood lactate concentration all decreased significantly after the treatment, and the oxygen extraction ratio underwent no obvious changes.

CONCLUSIONSContinuous blood purification can increase blood and oxygen supply but has no significant effects on oxygen extraction ratio in ARDS patients.

Adult ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Hemofiltration ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oxygen ; blood ; Oxygen Consumption ; physiology ; Partial Pressure ; Plasma Exchange ; methods ; Pulmonary Gas Exchange ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; therapy

Ultrafine powder and cell wall-broken powder of herbal medicine lack of the morphological characters and microscopic identification features. This makes it hard to identify herb's authenticity with traditional methods. We tested ITS2 sequence as DNA barcode in identification of herbal medicine in ultrafine powder and cell wall-broken powder in this study. We extracted genomic DNAs of 93 samples of 31 representative herbal medicines (28 species), which include whole plant, roots and bulbs, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. The ITS2 sequences were amplified and sequenced bidirectionally. The ITS2 sequences were identified using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) method in the GenBank database and DNA barcoding system to identify the herbal medicine. The genetic distance was analyzed using the Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) model and the Neighbor-joining (NJ) phylogenetic tree was constructed using MEGA 6.0. The results showed that DNA can be extracted successfully from 93 samples and high quality ITS2 sequences can be amplified. All 31 herbal medicines can get correct identification via BLAST method. The ITS2 sequences of raw material medicines, ultrafine powder and cell wall-broken powder have same sequence in 26 herbal medicines, while the ITS2 sequences in other 5 herbal medicines exhibited variation. The maximum intraspecific genetic-distances of each species were all less than the minimum interspecific genetic distances. ITS2 sequences of each species are all converged to their standard DNA barcodes using NJ method. Therefore, using ITS2 barcode can accurately and effectively distinguish ultrafine powder and cell wall-broken powder of herbal medicine. It provides a new molecular method to identify ultrafine powder and cell wall-broken powder of herbal medicine in the quality control and market supervision.
Cell Wall ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification ; genetics ; Powders ; Quality Control

Seven compounds were isolated from the leaves of Panax japonicus var. major by chromatographic methods including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, ODS and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by their physical and chemical properties and spectral data analysis as 5, 7-dihydroxy-8-methoxyl flavone (1), ginsenoside Rs2 (2), quinquenoside R1 (3), ginsenoside Rs1 (4), notoginsenoside Fe (5), ginsenoside Rd2 (6) and gypenosiden IX (7). Among them, compound 1 was obtained from the Panax genus for the first time, and compounds 2-7 were isolated from this plant for the first time.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Flavones ; analysis ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ginsenosides ; analysis ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Panax ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

OBJECTIVETo detect plasma concentrations of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) and tissue factor (TF) in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and explore their clinical significance in ALL.

METHODSThirty-three children with newly diagnosed ALL, including 18 cases of low risk, 7 cases of moderate risk and 8 cases of high risk, were enrolled in this study. Twenty-five patients received a complete remission and 8 cases were in non-remission after conventional remission induction chemotherapy. Plasma concentrations of VEGF and TF in the patients were detected using ELISA before and after treatment. Sixteen healthy children served as normal control group.

RESULTSPlasma concentrations of VEGF and TF in ALL patients before treatment were significantly higher than those in normal controls (P < 0.01). Plasma concentrations of VEGF and TF in the non-remission group before treatment were significantly higher than those in the remission group (P < 0.05) and the control group (P < 0.01). After treatment the plasma concentrations of VEGF and TF in the non-remission group were not significantly reduced and higher than those in the remission and the control groups (P < 0.01). There were significant differences in plasma concentrations of VEGF and TF among the low-risk, moderate-risk and high-risk groups before and after treatment (P < 0.05). Plasma concentrations of VEGF and TF in the high risk group were not significantly reduced after treatment and higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01). A linear correlation was noted between plasma VEGF and TF concentrations in ALL patients before treatment (r=0.50, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSVEGF and TF play an important role in the development of ALL and may be useful to the evaluation of the severity and the outcome in ALL.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; blood ; etiology ; Thromboplastin ; analysis ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; blood

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the factors affecting the efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) for renal calculi.

METHODSBetween January, 2004 and January, 2007, 316 patients (212 men and 104 women) with renal stone underwent ESWL. The correlations of the patients' age, gender, body mass index (BMI), disease course, pain, hematuria, stone size, location, side, number and hydronephrosis to the outcome of the treatment was analyzed. The treatment success was defined as complete clearance of the stones or residual stone fragments <0.4 cm, and ESWL was considered unsuccessful with residual stones>0.4 cm.

RESULTSThe overall success rate was 75.3% (238/316) in these patients. Significant difference in stone clearance rates was observed in patients with stone size of 0.5-1.0 cm (90.3%, 167/185), 1.0-2.0 cma(69.6%, 55/79), and >2.0 cm (30.8%, 16/52) (P<0.05). The success rates differed significantly between cases of pelvic stones (83.1%, 118/142) and those of caliceal stones (69.0%, 120/174) (P<0.05). But in cases of caliceal stones, the success rates were comparable between cases with stones at the upper calyx (71.7%, 43/60), middle calyx (68.9%, 31/45), and lower calix (66.7%, 46/69) (P>0.05). Patients with single stones had significantly higher success rate (82.9%,170/205) than those with multiple stones (61.3%, 68/111) (P<0.05). The patients' gender, age, disease course, pain, hematuria, stone side and hydronephrosis did not produce significant impact on the outcome of the treatment (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONStone size, location and quantity are significant independent factors affecting the outcome of ESWL for renal stones.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Calculi ; therapy ; Lithotripsy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo screen the mutations of the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene in a familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) family, and analyze the LDL-uptaking function of LDLR on lymphocytes of patients.

METHODSGenomic DNA was extracted from four affected members in a Chinese FH family. The presence of apoB100 gene R3500Q mutation which results in familial defective apolipoprotein B100 (FDB) was excluded first. Fragments of the LDLR gene were amplified by touch-down polymerase chain reaction (Touch-down PCR) and analyzed by single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP). The suspect fragments of the LDLR gene were cloned and sequenced. Furthermore, the lymphocytes bounded with fluorescent-labeled LDL (DiI-LDL) were measured by fluorescence flow cytometry.

RESULTSA nonsense mutation was identified in exon 10 of LDLR gene. This mutation gave rise to a premature stop codon (W462X), resulting in the absence of most of the LDLR domains. It was detected in all the affected members of the FH family. The ratios of functional LDLR in lymphocytes from patients and normal controls were 63.7% and 77.3% respectively. As a result, the activity of the functional LDLR in patients was just 82.4% of that in the normal controls.

CONCLUSIONIt is possible that the W462X mutation of LDLR gene is the main cause for the disease in this family.

Adult ; Apolipoprotein B-100 ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Case-Control Studies ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Deoxyribonuclease I ; metabolism ; Exons ; genetics ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; metabolism ; Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Receptors, LDL ; genetics ; metabolism