BackgroundThe research of corneal thickness after pars plana vitrectomy in DM patient plays an important role not only theoretically but clinically.Objective Present study was to evaluate the change in corneal thickness after pars plana vitrectomy.Methods A prospective coherent study was designed.Seventy-five eyes of 70 consecutive diabetic retinopathy(DR) patients were collected in Tianjin Medical University Eye Center.Pentacam was used to assess the central and periphery corneal thickness by the same investigator preoperatively and 7 days,1 and 3 months postoperatively,respectively.The thickness values from five corneal zone were obtained,including cornea vertex,the thinnest point of the cornea,periphery cornea near the scleral incision of 4 mm away to vertex of cornea on vertical and 240°,120°,60° meridian ( right eye) or 300°,120°,60° meidian ( left eye ).These results were compared and analyzed with ANOVA of repeated measurement data.Subgroup analysis was performed to evaluate the influence of different corneal positions,the use of conventional 20g or 23g transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy(TSV) groups,surgery duration,gas or fluid endotamponde on corneal thickness.This study was approved by Ethic Committee of this hospital.Written informed consent was obtained from the subjects before any relative medical procedure.Results The mean corneal thickness was ( 639.9 ± 103.1 ),( 689.5 ± 119.3 ),( 666.5 ±113.7),( 650.8 ± 108.6 ) μm before operation,postperative 7 days,1 and 3 months respectively.As covariates appearing in the model,the corneal thickness change rates were revised as the parameters as following: diabeitc duration =13.0 and age =57.2.The revised corneal thickness was significant different among various time points( F=210.928,P=0.000) and different corneal zones(F=24.843,P=0.000) with the size order in turn P4＞P3＞P1＞P2＞P5.The corneal thickness change rates were less in 23g TSV group compared with conventional 20-g group (F =53.843,P =0.000) and BSS tamponade group compared with gas tamponade group ( F =5.288,P =0.022).But no significant difference was found in the revised corneal thickness among surgery duration ＜ 1 hour group,1-2 hour group and ＞2 hour group( F=1.233,P =0.293).ConclusionsVitrectomy is a safe procedure on the ground of cornea,but TSV and fluid endotamponade appear to be more beneficial to the protection of cornea.Pentacam could offer the reliable data in not only central cornea but also periphery cornea.

Objective To establish the disease-syndrome integrated animal models suitable for the studies of TCM through differen- tiating the property of TCM syndromes of spontaneous diseased animal models.Methods With the observation on general behaviors, irritable degree,turning endurance time,pain threshold,urine and stools,luster of hair,growing speed of hair,body weight,tongue condition,degree of eyeball protruding,conjunctiva chroma,blood pressure,heart rate,etc.of spontaneous hypertension rats(SHR) and the comparison with normal rats,the study was carried out on the macroscopic description of property of TCM syndrome of SHR (14～18 weeks of age)and their ethology.Results The blood pressure of SHR at the early stage tended to raise with age growing. Compared with the normal group,the heart rate of SHR rats was obviously quicker(P

Silent information regulator protein 1 (SlRT1) is one of the sirtuins and belongs to histone deacetyase. lts activity depends on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide ( NAD+) and is regulated by NAD+. Experimental and clinical studies have shown the neuro-protective effect of SlRT1 in the pathogenesis of age-related eye diseases. ln this review, the relationship between SlRT1 activator and apoptosis in the retinal cells were discussed. The review also points to SlRT1 as a potential therapeutic target for the clinical management of age-related retinal disease.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the dosage-efficacy/toxicity relationship of prepared rhubarb, in order to explore the bidirectional effects in hepatoprotection and hepatotoxicity of prepared rhubarb and the objective authenticity for attenuating toxicity by processing.

METHODNormal and pathological animals were adopted simultaneous to investigate the effect of total extracts from prepared rhubarb within a high dose range (2.0, 5.4, 14.7, 40.0 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) on normal state, biochemical index and histopathology of experimental animals. The factor analytic approach was used to analyze the dosage-efficacy/toxicity relationship of prepared rhubarb.

RESULTThe factor analytic approach was used to extract two common factors from the nine biochemical indexes. The firs common factor was mainly dominated by HA, LN and TGF-β1, and could be explained as fibrotic factors. The second common factor was mainly dominated by ALT, AST and ALP, and could be explained as cellular factor. The results of the factor analysis suggested that prepared rhubarb showed significant bidirectional effects in hepatoprotection and hepatotoxicity, which could protect liver in CC14 injured chronic hepatic injury, but had a certain hepatotoxic effect to normal animals. The pathological examination showed consistent results with the factor analysis. Under comparable dosages, prepared rhubarb showed a stronger liver protecting effect than crude rhubarb, with a lower toxicity.

CONCLUSIONAlthough prepared rhubarb has a certain hepatotoxic effect to normal animals, it has also a significant therapeutic effect to animals with liver injury. The results proved the symptom-based prescription theory and the scientificity of the symptom-based medication. The symptom-based prescription theory is important to correctly realize the dosage-efficacy/toxicity relationship of traditional Chinese medicines and guide the symptom-based medication.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Prescriptions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rheum ; chemistry ; Toxicity Tests

AIM:To observe the effect of fresh amniotic membrane transplantation ( FAMT) in acute ocular chemical burns.
●METHODS:A prospective study of 25 consecutive cases (36 eyes) with acute ocular chemical burns were treated with FAMT. The clinical efficacy was observed such as the time of amniotic membrane absorbed, corneal epithelialization & transparency, visual acuities and complications.
●RESULTS: With follow-up ranged from 3 to 6mo, 31 eyes′ amniotic membrane were dissolved in 2wk (86%). A total of 33 eyes showed corneal epithelialization in 4wk ( 92%) , 3 eyes showed persistent corneal epithelial defects and need secondary limbal stem cell transplantation or corneal transplantation ( 8%) . A total of 10 eyes showed superficial corneal vascularization (28%), 6 eyes′ cornea were opacity in part (17%), and one eye was symblepharon (3%).
●CONCLUSION:Early FAMT is an effective treatment in the management of acute ocular chemical burns to support epithelial healing, restore ocular surface integrity with potential to improve vision and reduce the incidence of complications. Furthermore, FAMT has advantages of easily obtain and convenient usage, which is suitable in local hospital of our country.

Objective To study the role of hematopoietic growth factor(HGF)of placenta chorionic villus in fetal hematopoiesis during embryo ontogeny by observation of the appearance time and the content changes with the fetal growth, which was compared with HGF in cord blood. Methods Thirty embryo villus (2 g each) and 30 cord blood (2 mL each) were collected separately from early pregnant stage(6- 8 weeks), middle pregnant stage(16-22 weeks)and late pregnant stage (37-42 weeks). The levels of HGF were detected by enzyme - linked immunosorbent assay. Results HGF were produced on the early pregnant stage and the content of FL-T3,IL-3 increased gradually.There were significantly differences at different stages(P

Objective To investigate the p53,Bax,bcl-2 gene in NaAsO2-induced human embryonic lung fibroblasts(HELF)apoptosis.Methods HELF was divided into HELF cells transfected with p53 plasmid(p53 group),HELF cells transfected with PC plasmid(PC group)and normal cultured HELF cells(normal group).The mRNA expression of p53,Bax and bcl-2 gene was detected by real-time PCR,the protein expression of p53,Bax and bcl-2 was assessed by immunohistochemical SABC and the cell apoptosis of HELF was detected by flow cytometry(FCM),in a 6-well plate and cultured for 48 hours,which was exposed to different doses(0,3,9,15mmol/L)NaAsO2 for 24 hours.Results The p53 gene mRNA expression level of p53 group(0.51±0.29)was lower than that of the normal group and PC group [ (1.00 ± 0.20), (1.32 ± 0.26), all P < 0.05 ]. The p53 protein expression level of p53 group(4.10 ± 1.20) was lower than the PC group and normal group[ (8.00 ± 1.63), (7.90 ± 1.79), allP < 0.05]. In p53 group, PC group, normal group exposed to 0,3,9,15 mmol/L NaAsO2 doses, the apoptotic rate [(0.57 ± 0.28)%, (22.91 ± 4.86)%, (40.05 ± 3.93)%, (44.87 ± 3.58)%; (0.65 ± 0.24)%, (14.09 ± 3.49)%,(20.31 ± 3.66)%, (32.42 ± 3.63)%; (0.56 ± 0.25)%, (12.14 ± 3.70)%, (19.61 ± 3.63)%, (30.43 ± 2.83)%], Bax mRNA expression level[(12.73 ± 3.96), (25.12 ± 6.42), (104.96 ± 26.77), (154.04 ± 30.52); (14.63 ± 3.57),(36.75 ± 3.67), (272.26 ± 66.11), (846.12 ± 243.36); (14.75 ± 5.65), (37.22 ± 11.27), (278.51 ± 37.42),(861.67 ± 369.29) ], Bax protein expression level [ ( 15.07 ± 0.83 ) %, ( 23.79 ± 3.99 ) %, (38.51 ± 1.58 ) %, (53.86 ±1.74)%;(15.43 ± 1.45)%,(36.11 ± 1.37)%, (56.86 ± 1.97)%, (76.09 ± 2.01)%; (15.20 ± 1.03)%,(35.25 ±1.09)%, (55.56 ± 2.17)%, (74.48 ± 2.85)% ] was respectively increased in a dose-dependent manner with the increased concentration of NaAsO2(all P < 0.05). The bel-2 mRNA expression level [ (443.00 ± 244.47), (156.79 ±53.18), (62.13 ± 13.66), (23.10 ± 6.44); (420.55 ± 110.77), (48.15 ± 10.02), (14.91 ± 6.53), (7.54 ± 2.62);(577.75 ± 123.22), (49.68 ± 10.11), (12.41 ± 1.28), (7.22 ± 1.89)], bcl-2 protein expression level[(47.20 ±3.77)%, (41.80 ± 2.94)%, (36.00 ± 2.36)%, (29.00 ± 2.91)%; (45.90 ± 4.15)%, (35.70 ± 2.77)%, (29.80 ±2.78)%, (24.80 ± 2.66)% ; (46.70 ± 3.47)%, (36.20 ± 2.90)%, (30.10 ± 3.21)%, (25.10 ± 2.28)% ] wasdecreased in a dose-dependent manner with the increased concentration of NaAsO2(all P < 0.05 ). In 3,9,15 mmol/L NaAsO2, apoptotic rate of p53 group, mRNA expression of bcl-2, protein expression of bcl-2 was higher than that ofnormal group and PC group, respectively (all P < 0.05), but mRNA expression of Bax, protein expression of Bax was respeetivelylower than that normal group and the PC group(P < 0.05 ). Conclusion p53 gene reduced the apoptosis induced by NaAsO2 in HELF, possibly by changing the apoptosis pathway.

We investigated the roles of the crude antigen(CA) of Clonorchis sinensis and excretory secretory products (ESPs) in the polarization of Th1 and Th2 cells.Bone marrow-derived cells were generated from BALB/c mice and isolated into immature DCs;immature DCs were then treated with either CA (CA stimulated group),ESPs (ESPs stimulated group),LPS (positive control group) or PBS (negative control group) for 24 hours.Then the CD4+T cells were isolated from mouse spleen by using anti mouse-CD4 Microbeads,and further cocultured with stimulated DCs for another 72 hours.The purities of DCs and CD4+ T cells were evaluated by flow cytometry and the expressing levels of T-bet mRNA and GATA-3 mRNA were detected by real-time PCR.ELISA was used to detect the levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 cytokines in the supernatant.mRNA levels of T-bet and GATA-3 in the ESPs group were higher than those in PBS-stimulated group (P＜0.05).The concentrations of IFN-γ and IL-4 cytokines in the culture were increased in the ESPs group,compared with PBS stimulated group(P＜0.05).IFN-γ but not IL-4 was increased in CA group (P＜0.05).The results implied that CA might play a role in Th1 type immune response,and ESPs likely play roles in both Th1 and Th2 immune responses.

Objective To investigate the association of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and methylglyoxal (MG) levels with cognitive function in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods The normal population and elderly patients with T2DM were frequency-matched by age, sex, and educational level. BDNF was detected by ELISA assay, MG by HPLC assay, and cognitive function by sets of repetitive mental state examination (RBANS) in the two groups. Results (1) Compared with control group, serum BDNF level in T2DM group was significantly decreased [ (4.97±3.05 vs 11.77±7.92)ng /ml, P<0.01]while serum MG level was elevated [(67.91 vs 43.86) nmol /L, P<0.05]. The increasing of serum MG was related to the decreasing of serum BDNF. (2) Compared with control group, the scores for standardized tests of cognitive scale, visual breadth, immediate memory, delayed memory, and attention areas in T2DM group were significantly decreased (all P<0.05). After the influencing factors were adjusted by multiple regression, the associations of serum BDNF level with cognitive scale standardized score, the delay associated with memory and attention functions were still evident, and serum MG level in T2DM group was still related with the levels of delayed memory, immediate memory, total scale standardization (all P<0.05). (3) Serum BDNF level was negatively correlated with serum MG level (P=0.031). Conclusions Cognitive function of elderly patients with T2DM is related with serum MG and BDNF levels. The increased serum MG as well as the decreasd serum BDNF levels maybe involved in the pathogenesis of impaired cognitive function.

Objective To analyze the clinical features of pandrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (PDR-Ab) in a hospital and compare the efficacy of different antibiotic treatments on patients with pneumonia caused by PDR-Ab.Methods Data were ret- rospectively collected from all isolated PDR-Ab strains in our hospital from February 2004 to March 2005.The clinical features and outcomes were reviewed.Results A total of 77 strains of PDR-Ab were collected, 45 of which were pathogens causing clini- cal infections (35 strains from lower respiratory tract, 6 from bloodstream, 3 from drainage fluid, and 1 from wounds).Lower respiratory tract was the most common source of PDR-Ab.More than 90% of the isolated PDR-Ab strains produced OXA-23 type?-lactamase.Cefoperazone-sulbactam plus minocyeline showed good efficacy for patients with PDR-Ab pneumonia.The total clinical cure rate was 68.4%.Bacterial eradication rate was 42.1%.The factors influencing bacterial clearance were pro- longed mechanical ventilation prior to positive culture (17.5 d vs 5.5 d).mixed infection (100% vs 12.5%) and lower GCS score (9.1?0.7 vs 13.2?2.1).Concomitant septic shock (OR=13.8) and APACHEⅡscore (OR=2.1) were independent factors of clinical outcome.Conclusions Nosocomial infections caused by PDR-Ab are not untreatable.Our analysis suggests that cefoperazone-sulbactam plus minocycline may be an effective treatment for lower respiratory tract infections caused by PDR-Ab in our hospital.