In order to study the expression of melatonin receptors Mel1a and RORβ in the human brain,and to furthe investigate the melatonin's function in Alzheimer's disease,two melatonin receptor cDNAs were cloned and introduced into pBluescript Ⅱ (KS+)vector.The recombinant plasmids were identified by using restriction enzymes and then sequenced.The results indicated that the cloned DNA sequences and the Genbandk Sequences were inentical.The cRNA probes made from them can be used in the in situ hybridization immunohistochemistry to detect the mRNA expression level in the future study.

Objective To investigate p75 NTR expressing neurons and hyperphosphorylated tau protein containing neurons in the hippocampal CA1 subfield of Alzheimer's disease. Methods Samples of hippocampus of 10 female AD patients and 10 non-demented female controls matched with age and postmortem delay were obtained from the Netherlands Brain Bank. The main body of hippocampus was dissected, dehydrated and embedded in paraffin. Serial 6-?m coronal sections were cut, and 3 successive sections were selected. The first section was stained with 0.5% thionin, the second was processed for p75 NTR immunocytochemistry and the third was processed for p75 NTR double-labeling immunocytochemistry with Alz-50. For quantitative analysis of the total number of neurons, p75 NTR expressing neurons and neurons colocalizing p75 NTR and Alz-50 in the CA1 subfields, a MetaMorph image acquisition and processing software (Universal Imaging Corp, USA) was used.Results The total number of neurons, p75 NTR immunoreactive neurons and ratio of the latter to the former in 1 mm2 of the CA1 subfield of AD patients were 293.2?37.0, 116.0?20.4 and 39.7%?5.3%, respectively, of controls were 473.6?63.1, 136.7?24.4 and 28.9%?3.7%, respectively. There was significant decrease in the total number of neurons of the AD patients in comparison with controls (P=0.000 2). However, the ratio of p75 NTR neurons to total number of neurons was significant increase in AD patients compared with controls (P=0.001). The number of Alz-50 neurons, Alz-50 and p75 NTR double-labeling neurons and ratio of the latter to the former in 1 mm2 of the CA1 subfield of AD patients were 87.5?29.2, 76.4?26.6 and 86.6%?5.0%, respectively. Furthermore, the number of p75 NTR containing neurons was significantly correlated to the number of Alz-50 expressing neurons (r=0.79, P=0.006). Conclusion The p75 NTR may interact with hyperphosphorylated tau protein and involve in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer′s disease.

AIM To investigate the relationships between the alterations in circadian rhythms of cortisol, melatonin and nocturnal asthma METHODS Circadian rhythms of salivary free cortisol and melatonin levels were investigated in 15 control subjects and 8 exacerbation and 7 remission patients with bronchial asthma The serial salivary samples were collected at 12 time points during a 24 hour period The intensity of illumination was restricted to 50 lux during the night Salivary cortisol and melatonin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay RESULTS The 24 hour mean levels (mesor) of salivary cortisol was significantly different by one way ANOVA among the three groups ( P

Objective To explore the influence of singing therapy on anxiety and depression of patients with stable COPD.Methods Toally 56 COPD patients were divided into intervention group and control group according to random digit table.The control group was provided health education and mental nursing.On the base of treatment for the control group,the intervention group received singing therapy for 24 weeks.The anxiety and depression scale was to measure the anxiety and depression before and 24 weeks after intervention.Results There were no differences in HAD score and HAD-A score and HAD-D score between the groups before intervention (P＞0.05),but after intervention,the differences were significant in terms of the HAD score and HAD-A score and HAD-D score (P＜0.01).The scores of intervention group were significantly lower than those of the control group.For the scores,there was no difference in the control group between pre-and post-intervention (P＞0.05),but the scores after intervention were significantly lower than those before intervention in the intervention group (P＜0.001).Conclusion Singing therapy can effectively alleviate anxiety and depression of COPD patients at the stable state.

Objective To investigate the effect and safety of orthokeratology lens on myopia control in adolescents and children with different diopters.Methods Ninety-three patients(171 eyes)with myopia who received orthokeratology lens treatment in the Affiliated Jiangning Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from February to August 2021 were selected for the study.They were divided into a low degree group(88 eyes,-0.5D to-3.0D)and medium degree group(83 eyes,-3.0D to-6.0D)according to the equivalent spherical lens degree.The naked eye distant vision,diopter,optic axis,breakup time of tear film(BUT),corneal endothelial cell count and complications were compared between two groups.Results After 1 year of lens wear,growth of optic axis in low degree group was significantly greater than that in medium degree group(Z=-2.035,P=0.042).After 1 year of lens wear,naked eye distant vision of both groups was significantly higher than that before lens wear(P<0.05),and increase of visual acuity in medium degree group was significantly greater than that in low degree group(P<0.05).The equivalent spherical degree of two groups was significantly lower than that before lens wear(P<0.05),and reduction of equivalent spherical lens degree in medium degree group was significantly greater than that in low degree group(P<0.05).After 1 year of lens wear,BUT in both groups was significantly shorter than that before lens wear,and corneal endothelial cell count was lower than that before lens wear(P<0.05),but there were no significant differences in BUT and corneal endothelial cell count between two groups(P>0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in complication rate between two groups(χ2=2.000,P=0.157).Conclusion Orthokeratology lens has good control effect and safety for adolescents and children with different diopters,and the effect is more prominent for moderate myopia.

[Objective] To explore the efficacy of disposable flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy (FURL) with flexible vacuum-assisted ureteral access sheath (FV-UAS) in the treatment of 2-3 cm upper urinary tract stones, so as to provide reference for the treatment selection. [Methods] Clinical data of 178 patients with upper urinary tract stones who received FURL or minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy (MPCNL) at our hospital during Apr. 2022 and Oct. 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into FV-UAS group (n=90, received FV-UAS combined with diaposable FURL treatment) and MPCNL group (n=88, received MPCNL). The general information, perioperative data, and postoperative stone-free rate (SFR) of the two groups were compared. [Results] All operations were successfully completed. The operation time was significantly longer in the FV-UAS group than in the MPCNL group [(66.5±6.7) min vs. (63.9±7.4) min, P=0.015]. However, the intraoperative hemoglobin reduction [(7.3±3.1)g/L vs.(11.4±5.9)g/L], postoperative hospital stay (P<0.001) [(2.2±0.7)d vs.(5.4±1.3)d], and visual analogue score (VAS) [(2.7±0.9)vs.(5.6±1.1)] were significantly lower in the FV-UAS group than in the MPCNL group (P<0.001). The incidence of persistent gross hematuria was significantly higher in the MPCNL group than in the FV-UAS group (12.5% vs. 3.3%, P=0.023). The FV-UAS group had a similar postoperative immediate (83.3%) and final SFR (95.6%) to those of the MPCNL group (89.8%, 96.6%, P>0.05). [Conclusion] The combination of FURL with FV-UAS for 2-3 cm upper urinary tract stones has a higher SFR and a lower complication rate.Patients experience endurable pain and fast recovery, which is worth promoting and applying in clinical practice.

[Objective] To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of flexible ureteroscope lithotripsy (FURL) combined with flexible vacuum-assisted urethral access sheath (FV-UAS) and traditional UAS in the treatment of 1-2 cm lower renal calyceal stones, so as to provide reference for clinical practice. [Methods] Clinical data of 157 patients with 1-2 cm lower renal calyceal stones treated with FURL during Mar.2021 and Oct.2023 were retrospectively analyzed, including 80 treated with traditional UAS, and 77 with FV-UAS.General and clinical information of the two groups were compared. [Results] The immediate stone-free rate (SFR) (84.4% vs.67.5%, P=0.013) and final SFR (88.3% vs. 75.0%, P=0.032) of the FV-UAS group were significantly higher than those of the traditional UAS group, with significant difference.The incidence of postoperative complications such as fever, renal colic, and perirenal hematoma was significantly higher in the traditional UAS group than in the FV-UAS group (15.0% vs.5.2%, P=0.042). After treatment with anti-infective and analgesic drugs, both groups were improved, and no severe sepsis or septic shock occurred after surgery.The hospitalization expenses of the FV-UAS group were significantly lower than those of the traditional UAS group [ (18 341±1519)yuan vs.(19 152±1826)yuan, P=0.003]. [Conclusion] Compared to the traditional UAS, the combination of FURL and FV-UAS for the 1-2 cm lower renal calyceal stones has a high SFR and low incidence of complications.Patients experience less pain, recover faster and spend less.It's a new treatment option for inferior calyceal calculi.

Traditional ophthalmic pharmaceutical preparations are mostly eye drops or eye ointments, which have the disadvantages of low efficiency and poor patient compliance in application.Drug-loaded contact lenses can overcome these shortcomings and have attracted much attention.Improving drug loading capacity and enhancing sustained-release performance of drug-loaded contact lenses are the main focus of research and development.In recent years, drug-loaded contact lenses made of molecularly imprinted hydrogel can significantly improve drug loading capacity and sustained-release performance, and have been widely studied.The application status of molecularly imprinted hydrogel drug-loaded contact lenses in the delivery of ophthalmic drugs, as well as the effects of various factors on drug loading capacity and sustained-release performance were reviewed in this article.

Objective To compare the effects of antibiotic-loaded bone cement coverage and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on diabetic foot ulcer wound healing. Methods A total of 113 patients with diabetic foot ulcers were selected as study subjects and randomly divided into control group (57 patients receiving NPWT) and experimental group (56 patients receiving antibiotic-loaded bone cement coverage) using the double-color ball randomization method. Both groups underwent routine debridement. The treatment outcomes, positive detection rate of wound bacterial culture, lower limb nerve conduction function (tibial nerve motor conduction velocity, common peroneal nerve sensory conduction velocity), Doppler ultrasound indicators (vessel diameter, blood flow velocity, resistance index, pulsatility index), inflammatory indicators (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), and granulation tissue growth were observed and compared between the two groups. Results The effective treatment rate was 85.71% in the experimental group, which was higher than 70.18% in the control group (P < 0.05). Before treatment, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of positive detection rate of wound bacterial culture, tibial nerve motor conduction velocity, common peroneal nerve sensory conduction velocity, blood flow velocity, vessel diameter, resistance index, pulsatility index, granulation tissue growth, and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (P>0.05). After 3, 7, and 15 days of treatment, the positive detection rate of wound bacterial culture in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the tibial nerve motor conduction velocity, common peroneal nerve sensory conduction velocity, vessel diameter, blood flow velocity, resistance index, and pulsatility index in both groups were higher or greater than those before treatment, and those in the experimental group were higher or greater than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the granulation tissue area, coverage rate, and granulation tissue growth rate in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in both groups were lower than those before treatment, and those in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Compared with NPWT, antibiotic-loaded bone cement coverage has a higher effective treatment rate for diabetic foot ulcers, and provides a more effective local antibacterial environment, thereby promoting wound healing and tissue repair, and simultaneously improving nerve function and vascular status.

OBJECTIVESTo explore the mechanisms of neuronal loss and apoptosis in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, through studying the expression of proteins related to signal transduction pathways, which are important for neuron survival.

METHODS(1) Immunohistochemistry: Sections were double stained with Tunel and NSE antibodies. (2) The hippocampal tissue taken from 6 cases of AD and 6 cases of non-AD brains was homogenized. Protein estimation was done by Lowry method. Equal amounts of protein were taken from each specimen and immunoprecipitation was performed and analyzed by Western blot; color development was done by alkaline phosphatase method or luminol reagent.

RESULTS(1) Tunel positive neurons were found in both AD and non-AD brains, but the number in the former was more than the latter. (2) The AD hippocampal tissue showed diminished expression of Akt/PKB, CREB, P-CREB, increased expression of apoptosis-related protein apoptosis-inducing factor, and diminished expression of apoptosis-related protein bcl-2. The expression of bax did not change.

CONCLUSIONSDiminished expression of CREB, P-CREB, bcl-2 in AD hippocampus indicates that the neuron survival signal transduction pathway in AD brains is impaired. Neurons are in apoptotic or pro-apoptotic state. In addition, increased expression of apoptosis-inducing factor, diminished expression of bcl-2, which is an anti-apoptotic factor, promotes further neuron apoptosis.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alzheimer Disease ; metabolism ; pathology ; Apoptosis ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Neurons ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; physiology