Embolism, Paradoxical ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; etiology

BackgroundIt has been proved that,after being forced,the biological soft tissue has stable biomechanical characteristics.However,there is rare study on corneal biomechanics.Rabbit is a main animal for experimental study in ophthalmology.But the biomechanical study of cornea in normal rabbit has not been reported.ObjectiveThis study was to investigate the biomechanical properties of normal rabbit central cornea and acquire the parameter. Methods Ten rabbits were sacrificed and the whole corneas were obtained and 20 central cornea specimens with 7 mm×5 mm of rabbit were prepared and tested on BOSE electroforce 3220-AT biomechanics machine under the room temperature and suitable humidity environment.Uniaxial tension,stress between strain,relaxation and creep were performed and the curves were drawn.The data was collected by wintest system to evaluate the biomechanical parameters of rabbit corneal tissue. ResultsThe maximum distortion intension of rabbit cornea was (7.7432±0.6099)MPa.After three cyclic loading,the stress gradually attenuated and the stress and strain flattened as the time change with the relaxation rate 30.33％.The deformation of the specimens enhanced with time decrease with the creep rate 24.33％. ConclusionsThe biomechanical characteristics of normal rabbit cornea are revealed in this study,which offer the basis for the experimental research of rabbit model aimed at corneal disease.

Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Long QT Syndrome

Objective To summerize the clinical experience of 23 cases of carotid cavernous fistula(CCF) and discuss the treatment strategy. Methods Retrospectively analyzed 23 patients(11 males and 12 females) of CCF,including 14 patients with Barrow type A,1 with type B,1 with type C and 7 with type D. Results Vascular approach for embolization was undertaken in 20 cases by transarterial access and 2 via venous route while 1 case was given up. Among them,9 cases obtained complete occlusion by simple balloon embolization and 5 were treated by direct occlusion of internal carotid artery. Another 5 cases used NBCA glue for the occlusion,1 case was embolized by gelatin-sponge particulates combined with compression of carotid artery,2 cases were treated by coil embolization of cavernous sinus and 1 case was only managed by carotid compression maneuver. We achieved satisfactory clinical results with 21 patients cured and 2 patients improved. Conclusion Complexity and refractory are the characteristic of CCF,and endovascular treatment should be the major choice of treatment. (J Intervent Radiol,2006,15: 323-326)

Background Researches demonstrated that dendritic cells(DCs) are uniformly immature in the central cornea but mature in the peripheral region of cornea.So an important question is which factor impact the maturation of DCs,especially in terms of corneal transplant rejection and the known roles of DCs in the development and persistence of some corneal diseases.Objective This study aimed to examine whether corneal stroma cells (CSCs) inhibit DCs maturation through secreting transforming growth factor beta 2 (TGF-β2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2).Methods DCs,T cells and CSCs were isolated and cultured from clean BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice.The level of PGE2 and TGF-β2in CSCs culture supernatant and the fresh RPMI 1640 medium were then analyzed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).During the DCs maturation stage,the neutralizing TGF-β2 antibody and the EP2 receptor antagonist AH6809 were added in the CSCs culture supernatant respectively.According to the different treatment,cultured cells were assigned to different groups as follows:control group,CSCs culture supernatant group,AH6809 group,TGF-β2 antibody group,AH6809 +TGF-β2 antibody group.Subsequently,the cellular surface markers for DCs,including CD11c,CD80,CD86,and MHC- Ⅱ,were analyzed by flow cytometry.The capability of stimulating the proliferation of T lymphocytes was evaluated by allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions,and the function of endocytosis was assessed by fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran(FITC) uptake.Results The data of ELISA showed a higher concentration of TGF-β2 and PGE2 in murine CSCs culture supernatant than in the fresh RPMI 1640 medium.Compared with the CSCs culture supernatant group,the expression of CD80,CD86,and MHC- Ⅱ was up-regulated ( P ＜ 0.05 ),the expression of dextran was down-regulated ( P ＜ 0.05 ),and the stimulate index was increased( P＜ 0.05 ) in the TGF-β2 antibody group; the expression of CD86,and MHC-Ⅱ was up-regulated (P＜0.05),the expression of dextran was down-regulated ( F =13.740,P =0.006 ),and the stimulate index was increased(P＜0.05) in the AH6809 group;the expression of MHC-Ⅱ was up-regulated and the stimulate index was increased with statistical difference in interaction(P＜0.05 ) in the AH6809+TGF-β2 antibody group.Compared with the control group,the expression of CD80 and CD86,and the stimulate index was still lower(P＜0.05 ).Conclusions TGF-β2 and PGE2 contribute to the inhibitory effects on DCs maturation mediated by murine CSCs in vitro and further have additive effect on the immunosuppression of DCs.

This study tested the effects of the gastrointestinal pulse train electrical stimulation with different parameters and at different locations on the neuronal activities of the lateral hypothalamus area (LHA) in obese rats in order to find the optimal stimulation parameter and location. Eight gastric electrical stimulations (GES) with different parameters were performed and the neuronal activities of gastric-distension responsive (GD-R) neurons in LHA were observed. The effects of stimulations with 8 parameters were compared to find the optimal parameter. Then the optimal parameter was used to perform electrical stimulation at duodenum and ileum, and the effects of the duodenal and ileac stimulation on the GD-R neurons in LHA were compared with the gastric stimulation of optimal parameter. The results showed that GES with the lowest energy parameter (0.3 ms, 3 mA, 20 Hz, 2 s on, 3 s off) activated the least neurons. The effects of GES with other parameters whose pulse width was 0.3 ms were not significantly different from those of the lowest energy parameter. Most gastric stimulations whose pulse width was 3 ms activated more LHA neurons than the smallest energy parameter stimulation, and the effects of those 3 ms gastric stimulations were similar. Accordingly, the lowest energy parameter was recognized as the optimal parameter. The effects of stimulations with the optimal parameter at stomach, duodenum and ileum on the LHA neuronal activities were not different. Collectively, gastrointestinal electrical stimulation (GIES) with relatively large pulse width might have stronger effects to the neuronal activities of GD-R neurons in LHA of obese rats. The effects of the GIES at different locations (stomach, duodenum and ileum) on those neurons are similar, and GES is preferential because of its easy clinical performance and safety.

Objective To investigate choroid thickness at horizontal meridian with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and compare the choroid thickness difference between first visit myopia children with those children who wear orthokeratology lens for more than 1 year.Methods This retrospective study enrolled 68 myopia children with low to moderate myopia (-1.00--6.00 D) who visited our hospital and took choroid images by OCT.The total subjects were divided into 2 groups.The subjects of 34 children in group 1 visited for myopia initially and wear spectacles.The other one group wear orthokeratology lens more than 1 year.Only the data of right eye were analyzed.Scans through the fovea at horizontal meridian were acquired with OCT.Choroid images were detected by custom software with 500 μm intervals up to 3.5 mm around fovea.Choroid thickness (CT) was calc~ated based on the average of the 7 zones.Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate choroid thickness at each zone.ANOVA was used to compare choroid thickness differences between various zones in each group.Paired t test was used to compare choroid thickness difference at the same zone between two groups.Results The mean age of OK lens group was (12.3 ± 1.8) years old,and the spectacles group was (11.8 ± 1.4) years old,there was no statistical difference.From temple to nasal choroid,the mean CT of the orthokeratology lens group were (296.7 ± 61.8) μm (T3),(290.7 ± 58.9) μm (T2),(285.7 ± 57.4) μm (T1),(278.5 ±57.7) μm (M),(262.2 ±57.9) μm (N1),(239.8 ±59.7) μm (N2),(214.7 ±59.0) μm (N3);And the mean CT of the spectacles group were (294.2 ± 45.4) μm (T3),(292.0±44.0) μm (T2),(283.6 ±45.5) μm (T1),(272.0 ±51.6) μm (M),(255.2 ± 56.3) μm (N1),(236.5 ±58.1)μm (N2),(212.8 ±57.7) μm (N3),respectively.The thicknesses were significantly thicker in temple zones than that in nasal zones in each group (all P ＜ 0.05),but the CT was not significantly different between the two groups in each zone (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion The choroid thickness has regional deference in myopia children,the thickest is in the temple and the thinnest in the nasal region.There is no significant difference between the children who initially corrected by spectacles and those who wear OK lens more than 1 year.

Epigenetics comprises the modifications made in gene expressions without changing the DNA sequence itself. Significant epigenetic changes take place during spermatogenesis and fertilization and exert direct influences on embryogenesis. This article provides an overview of the latest researches on epigenetics of male germ cells and a brief discussion on the correlation of sperm with embryogenesis in four aspects: DNA methylation, histone modification, regulation of non-coding RNAs, and genomic imprinting.
Animals ; DNA Methylation ; Embryonic Development ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Genomic Imprinting ; Histones ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Spermatozoa

OBJECTIVETo investigate the differential plasma protein profiles in patients with hyperlipidemia & atherosclerosis (H&A) of different patterns of phlegm-stasis syndrome (PSS) for seeking their biomarker proteins.

METHODSTwo-dimensional gel electrophoresis and gel screening graphical analysis were performed on plasma proteins got from 146 patients; corresponding protein spots were fetched from the gel for two-stage mass-spectrometric analysis by quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry; then the differential proteins for PSS were discriminated by Fisher discriminate analysis.

RESULTSExcepting two uncertain proteins, 7 differential proteins were screened out from the 11 differentially expressed plasma protein spots with variability over 100% in the inter-block matching. Classic analysis found that haptoglobin precursor and fibrinogen gamma chain were possibly the plasma biomarker proteins for H & A; fibrinogen beta chain and apolipoprotein A-I precursor were that set apart PSS from non-PSS; fibrinogen gamma chain, albumin and apolipoprotein A-I precursor were for phlegm syndrome; haptoglobin precursor, adrenomedullin binding protein precursor, albumin and complement component C4 were for stasis syndrome; albumin and adrenomedullin binding protein precursor were for the phlegm-stasis mutual blocking syndrome. Moreover, the above mentioned expressions of possible marker proteins had their own special rule of changing in the transforming progress of PSS.

CONCLUSIONThis study reported, for the first time, the existence of evident variation of functional protein constitution in different patterns of PSS, and definite compatibility being detected in some functional proteins, which may be the marker proteins for making diagnosis and prognosis of PSS in H&A. Besides, preliminary proof for the transformation of PSS has gained at the functional protein level.

Adult ; Atherosclerosis ; blood ; diagnosis ; Blood Proteins ; analysis ; Case-Control Studies ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; diagnosis ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Proteomics

OBJECTIVETo explore methods and clinical outcomes of microsurgical technique in treating patients with severed palm.

METHODSFrom January 2009 to December 2012,45 patients with severed palm were treated by replantation through microsurgical technique, included 37 males and 8 females, aged from 13 to 45 years old with an average of 25. Postoperative survival rate and evaluation standard of upper limb replantation function posposed by Chinese Medical Association were applied for evaluate clinical outcomes after operation.

RESULTSForty-five patients with severed plam were treated by replantation. Thirty-nine patients (121 fingers) were survived,and survival rate was 87%. All patients were followed up 3 to 15.5 months with an average of 11.5 months. According to evaluation standard of upper limb replantation function posposed by Chinese Medical Association, the total score was 80.27 +/- 1.93, and 27 cases got excellent results, 8 good and 4 poor.

CONCLUSIONThe success of replantation of severed palm depends on grasping operation indication strictly, knowing complexity and local anatomic relationship, debridement completely during operation, making full use of remaining organization, arteriovenostomy through microsurgical technique as early as possible, constructing circulation and repairing injuried nerve rationally.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Hand Injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Replantation ; Young Adult