Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of visual impairment among older population worldwide,and wet AMD is more threatened to vision because of the choroidal neovascularization.Some physical therapies are thought to destroy the lesions but can not improve the visual acuity.Therefore,anti-VEGF drug therapy is becoming a new approach to the management of wet AMD.Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) is thought to play an important role in the complicated pathogenesis,which can be addressed by disease reduction strategies.Among the anti-VEGF drug therapies,anti-VEGF monoclonal antibodies are proved to maintain and improve visual acuity.Other therapies have been or now being developed for the treatment of neovascular AMD with the goal of inhibiting VEGF.These inhibitors include VEGF receptor decoy aflibercept,small interfering RNA-based therapies (bevasiranib) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (vatalanib),which could offer the potential for further advances.To completely realize the active mechanism of VEGF in wet AMD is helpful for the rational use of anti-VEGF drugs.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Deglutition Disorders ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke ; complications

Abstract: Objective　To analyze the clinical characteristics of Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia and improve the diagnosis and treatment skills of clinicians on this disease. Methods The clinical data of thirty-nine Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia cases detected by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) from September 2020 to January 2022 at the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Results There was a history of poultry exposure in 89.7%(35 cases) of the patients. The most common clinical manifestations were high fever (92.3%, 36), cough (76.9%,30), muscle soreness (48.7%,19), headache (38.5%,15), etc. Laboratory examinations showed 76.9% of patients had a normal leukocyte count, and 76.9% had decreased lymphocyte count, often accompanied by elevated C-reactive protein (100%), procalcitonin (97.4%), interleukin-6 (95.8%), interleukin-10 (95.8%), alanine aminotransferase (74.4%), and aspartate aminotransferase (84.6%). Univariate analysis indicated that there were statistically significant differences in the levels of aspartate transaminase, blood urea nitrogen, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin between severe pneumonia patients and non-severe pneumonia patients（P<0.05）. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that an elevated blood urea nitrogen (OR=4.899) had guiding significance for predicting the occurrence of severe pneumonia. Bronchoscopy examination showed no abnormalities in 53.6% of the patients. The imaging manifestations of pulmonary lesions were mainly lobar pneumonia (61.5%) and air bronchograms (94.9%). Therapeutically, it was sensitive to tetracyclines, macrocyclic lactones, and fluoroquinolones. A total of 84.6%(33 cases) of the patients were cured and discharged from the hospital at the end of the treatment. Conclusion Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia is a zoonotic disease that can be detected by mNGS. An elevated blood urea nitrogen level has guiding significance for predicting the occurrence of severe pneumonia. Empirically-selected regimens based on doxycycline are effective for the treatment of Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia.

Informed consent right is not just for basic ethical consideration, but is important for protecting patient's right by law, which is expressed through informed consent contract. The appraised individuals of forensic clinical examination have the similar legal status as the patients in medical system. However, the law does not require informed consent right for the appraised individuals. I recommend giving certain informed consent right to the appraised individuals in the forensic clinical examination. Under the contracted relationship with the institution, the appraised individuals could participate in the examination process, know the necessary information, and make a selected consent on the examination results, which can assure the justice and fairness of judicial examination procedure.
Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Patient Participation

Adult ; Creatine Kinase, MB Form ; metabolism ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Insecticides ; poisoning ; Insulin ; therapeutic use ; Isoflavones ; therapeutic use ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Male ; Myocarditis ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Myocardium ; enzymology ; pathology ; Organophosphate Poisoning ; Treatment Outcome ; Vasodilator Agents ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in the apoptosis of testicular germ cells in hyperlipidemic rats.

METHODSWe randomly assigned 42 four-week-old male Wistar rats into a normal control group (n = 12) and a high-fat group (n = 30) to be fed on a normal diet and a high-fat diet, respectively, for 10 weeks. Then we measured the concentrations of triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) in the serum using an automatic biochemistry analyzer, detected the apoptosis of testicular germ cells by TUNEL staining, and determined the protein and mRNA expressions of GRP78 and. caspase-12 in the testis tissue by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR, respectively.

RESULTSThe concentrations of TG and TC were significantly increased in the animals of the high-fat group ([3.00 ± 0.92] and [3.04 ± 0.39] mmol/L) as compared with the control rats ([1.43 ± 0.41] and [1.55 ± 0.23] mmol/L) (P < 0.01), and so was the apoptosis index of the testicular germ cells ([37.17 ± 2.74]% vs [5.16 ± 0.81]%, P < 0.01). The high-fat group, in comparison with the control, also showed remarkably upregulated protein and mRNA expressions of GRP78 (0.32 ± 0.03 and 0.86 ± 0.05 vs 0.19 ± 0.01 and 0.37 ± 0.03, P < 0.01) and caspase-12 (0.34 ± 0.02 and 0.87 ± 0.01 vs 0.12 ± 0.01 and 0.34 ± 0.03, P < 0.01) in the testis tissue.

CONCLUSIONThe apoptosis of testicular germ cells is increased in hyperlipidemic rats, which may be attributed to endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Caspase 12 ; metabolism ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Diet, High-Fat ; adverse effects ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; physiology ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Spermatozoa ; pathology ; Staining and Labeling ; Testis ; metabolism ; Transcriptional Activation ; Triglycerides ; blood ; Up-Regulation

Objective To explore incidence of child obesity in Zhengzhou area and intervention measures.Methods In 2001, spot check was conducted on 5688 cases of high and primary school students ,including 2848 boys and 2840 girls at the age of 7-18.Child obesity was diagnosed by meeting reference BMI value published by Cole et al,conducted comprehensive treatment consisting of massage intervention along channel of traditional Chinese medicine, behavior modification, dietetic and sport adjustment for 22 cases of simple obesity children (7-15 years old, 18 boys, 4 girls) selected for one month, and follow-up survey 6 months after treatment.Results Five thousands,six hundreds and eighty-eight high and primary school students investigated had an overweight incidence of 15.4%, an obesity incidence of 3.2%,boys' overweight incidence and obesity incidence(19.2%,4.6%) were remarkably higher than those of girls (11.5%,1.7% P<0.001). Overweight incidence of various age groups evidently differed(χ2=42.88 P<0.001) with the group of 8-15 years old children as popular. Incidence of various age groups also differed(χ2=21.28 P<0.05) with 7-10 years old and 14-15 years old children as popular. After one-month treatment, weight of all the 22 cases of fat children decreased from (76.45±19.87) kg upon hospitalized to (69.06±17.98) kg with a decrease of (7.43±2.58)kg, BMI value decreased from (31.05±3.96) before treatment to (27.72±3.54).Weight and BMI value before and after treatment differed evidently (t=13.6,12.88 P<0.01), and weight and BMI value decrease were remarkably related with those upon hospitalized (r=0.77 P<0.01;r=0.49 P<0.05).Conclusions Incidence of child obesity has been increasing in recent years, comprehensive treatment consisting of massage intervention along channel of traditional Chinese medicine, behavior modification, dietetic and sport adjustment have good curative effect and are comfortable, well received by children and suitable to promote and apply.

In this study, a composite cell model for evaluation of idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (IDILI) was established in vitro from the perspective of immune inflammation. And this model was used to evaluate the risk of IDILI for 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy-cis-stilbene-2-O-β-glucoside (Cis-SG) and 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy-trans-stilbene-2-O-β-glucoside (Trans-SG). To determine the low, medium, and high dosage of Cis-SG and Trans-SG, CellTiter-Glo^® 3D Cell Viability Assay was used to detect the effects of Cis-SG and Trans-SG on cell viability of HepG2 cells in three dimensional (3D) culture, and MTT assay was used to detect the effects of Cis-SG and Trans-SG on cell viability of THP-1 derived macrophages. THP-1 derived macrophages were incubated by Cis-SG and Trans-SG directly or supernatants from HepG2 cells incubated with them. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the supernatants of the THP-1 derived macrophages. Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to determine the expression of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1), and IL-1β in THP-1 derived macrophages. The results showed that there was no effect on the secretion of IL-1β in THP-1 derived macrophages incubated by Cis-SG and Trans-SG directly. However, the secretion of IL-1β, the protein and mRNA expression of ASC, NLRP3, caspase-1, and IL-1β significantly increased in THP-1 derived macrophages incubated by supernatants from HepG2 cells incubated with 1, 5, and 25 μmol·L^-1 Cis-SG or 25 μmol·L^-1 Trans-SG. In summary, the composite cell model for evaluation of IDILI established in vitro has been successfully applied in testing Cis-SG and Trans-SG. This composite cell model is helpful to evaluate and screen drugs with IDILI risk in vitro preliminarily, which provides methods for predicting and solving the idiosyncratic liver toxicity of drugs.

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to develop RT- PCR assay for Rapidly detect and distinguish between Norovirus genogroup I and genogroup II with a pair of primers.

METHODSA pairs of primers specific to capsid prote in ORF2 gene of G I and G II Norovirus were dsigned according to the published complete genome sequence, with which the RNA of Norovirus was extracted and RT-PCR amplification. The sensitivity, specificity of the RT- PCR assay was estimated and apply it to the detection of Norovirus in clinical specimens.

RESULTSThe results showed that the assay possessed high specificity for Norovirus detection and without any evident cross-reaction with other viruses, including rotavirus, enteric adenovirus and hepatitis A virus. The detection limit of RT-PCR assay for Norovirus G I and G II were up to 100 pg/ml and 10 pg/ml respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe RT- PCR assay provide rapid and sensitive detection of Norovirus G I and G II and should prove to be useful for Norovirus diagnosis in the outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis.

Caliciviridae Infections ; diagnosis ; virology ; DNA Primers ; genetics ; Gastroenteritis ; diagnosis ; virology ; Humans ; Norovirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; instrumentation ; methods

Three-dimensional (3D) fluorescence spectra and thin layer fluorescence chromatogram of common Camptotheca fruit (CCF) crude drug, camptothecin (CPT) and 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) have been studied, and a novel fluorimetric method for determination of CPT in CCF crude drug has been established. In 3D fluorescence spectra, CPT presented 3 fluorescence peaks with excitation wavelengths lambdaex of 215, 255 and 365 nm, separately, and all peaks with emission wavelength lambdaem of 430 nm. HCPT presented 4 fluorescence peaks with lambdaex of 220, 265, 325 and 375 nm, separately, and all peaks with lambdaem of 555 nm. The fluorescence of CPT is much stronger than that of HCPT. Comparison of 3D fluorescence spectra and analysis of thin layer fluorescence chromatogram revealed that the main fluorescent component of CCF is CPT. HCPT and other components basically do not interfere with the fluorescence of CPT. Under the condition of pH 3.0-6.7, CCF aqueous solution can produce strong and steady fluorescence. Using methanol as solvent, the extracting solution of CCF was prepared, and diluted properly with water, then measured fluorescence intensity at lambdaex/lambdaem = 365/430 nm to determine the content of CPT. A linear calibration curve covered the concentration range 0.002 35-0.235 microg x mL(-1). The regression equation was IF = 9 + 30,844 c, with correlation coefficient r = 0.999 (n=9). The method has been applied to the analysis of CPT in a CCF sample, with a result of 0.127% and a spiked recovery rate of 102%. The reliability of the method has been verified by a thin layer chromatography-fluorescence scanning method. Experimental results demonstrated that this method can be used for quality evaluation of CCF crude drug.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; analysis ; Camptotheca ; chemistry ; Camptothecin ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Spectrometry, Fluorescence