?A great number of miRNAs have been shown to play critical roles in pathological angiogenesis, the oxidative stress response, immune response and inflammation, all of which have been shown to have important roles in the pathogenesis and progression of age- related macular degeneration ( AMD) . Here we reviewed the pathological processes involved in AMD and the roles of miRNAs in these processes, and discussed potential miRNAs-based therapeutics for AMD.

Objective To develop plaque assay for SARS virus, in order to provide a reliable means for SARS research. Methods SARS virus BJ 01 strain in various dilutions was inoculated to Vero E6 cells, the cells were then covered with nutritious agar. The titers of the plaque were measured by Dullbecco R method. Results The plaque of SARS virus appeared on the third day after the cell cultures infected with virus. The plaque was round in shape, 2.5-3 mm in diameter. Conclusion The plaque assay developed in present study was stable and regular, and it could be used in SARS research.

Cell Hypoxia ; Humans ; Misonidazole ; analogs & derivatives ; Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiography ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated

Objective:To evaluate the effect of of twin block appliance in the early treatment of class Ⅱ malocclusion.Methods:20 cases with class Ⅱ malocclusion were treated with Twin block appliance.Cephalometric analysis was used to evaluate the effects.Results:The twin block appliance could stimulate the growth of mandible and lead to retrocline of the upper incisors and procline of the lower incisors.Conclusion:The twin block appliance can achieve remarkable effects of growth modification of dentognathic system.

Objective To observe the effect of different needling retaining times in clinical curative effect of acupuncture on the treatment of periarthritis humeroscapularis.Methods A total of 60 patients, who met the inclusion criteara, were randomly divided into 2 groups according to random number table method, 30 patients in each group. Both groups were treated with the same acupuncture therapy for 20 times, but the needling retaining times were different as 20 minutes and 40 minutes. The curative effect rates, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Constant-Murley Score (CMS) were evaluated.Results After the treatment, the VAS scoresin 40mins group was significantly lower than that in the 20 mins group (2.67 ± 1.03vs.3.60 ± 1.48,t=-3.251, P<0.01); the CMSin 40 mins group was significantly higher than the 20 mins group (73.20 ± 10.88vs.66.47 ± 12.62,t=-2.199,P<0.05). The curative effect rates of the 40 mins group was 26.7% (8/30), which was significantly higher than 3.3% (1/30) in the 20 mins group (χ2=4.706,P=0.030). The total effective rates in the 40 mins group was 90.0% (27/30), which was significantly higher than 96.7% (29/30) in the 20 mins group (χ2=0.268,P=0.605).Conclusions Acupuncture treatment for the patients with periarthritis humeroscapularis showed that the 40 minutes of needling retaining times had better symptom improvement and restore function effects than 20 minutes, however the total effective rate was no significant difference.

Objective To explore the effect of Shenling Baizhu Powder and moxibustion on serum brain-gut peptide in patients with diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS). Methods Sixty D-IBS cases were randomly divided into two groups, 30 cases in the treatment group were given Shenling Baizhu Powder and moxibustion therapy, and 30 patients in the control group were given loperamide hydrochloride capsule. Treatment for the two groups lasted for 4 weeks. Clinical symptoms and serum brain gut peptide (5-HT, VIP and SP) levels of two groups were observed before and after treatment, clinical efficacy were evaluated. Results Markedly effective rate of the treatment group was 66.7% (20/30), better than 33.3% (10/30) in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, clinical symptom scores of the treatment group decreased significantly (P<0.01), while only diarrhea and abdominal pain improved in the control group (P<0.01), with statistical significance (P<0.01). After treatment, serum 5-HT, VIP, and SP of the treatment group were decreased (P<0.01), while these indexes of the control group did not change significantly (P>0.05), with statistical significance (P<0.01). Conclusion Clinical efficacy of Shenling Baizhu Powder and moxibustion in treating D-IBS is better than that of loperamide hydrochloride capsule, and can significantly improve clinical symptoms and regulate serum brain-gut peptides levels.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in 5/6 renal ablation model. MethodsAtRA was administered to 5/6 renal ablation rats by three dosages: 5 mg·kg-1·d-1 (n=8), 10 mg·kg-1d-1 (n=8) and 20 mg·kg-1 d-1 (n=8) and vehicle (vehicle group, n=8) for 10 weeks. Healthy rats consisted of shamoperation group (n =8). The level of renin and angiotensin Ⅱ in renal tissues were measured by radioimmunoassary. The level of angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) in remnant renal cortex was measured by Western blot. The mRNA expression levels of two subunits of activative protein 1(AP-1),c-jun and c-fos was quantitated by real-time PCR. ResultsAfter 10 weeks of atRA treatment by gavarge, artery blood pressure decreased (P＜0.05). AtRA reduced the levels of renin (P＜0.05) and angiotensin Ⅱ (P＜0.05) in kidney and down-regulated the expression of AT1R protein in renal cortex. Larger dose of atRA (20 mg·kg-1·d-1) performed higher activity in inhibiting renin and AT1R. Compared with vehicle group, atRA could significantly inhibit the expression of renal c-jun and c-fos mRNA (P＜0.05). Conclusion atRA can decrease the over-expression of main components of RAS.

NHL proteins, which play important roles in regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation, have been extensively studied on mammals. Here, we cloned a member of NHL protein family namely BmBrat in silkworm. The full-length cDNA sequence of BmB rat was obtained by means of the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), including 3 614 bp. The ORF is 2 580 bp long, encoding a protein with 859 amino acid residues. The molecular weight is 94.3 kDa and the isoeledtric point (pI) is 6.65. The BmBrat expression profile was detected by RT-PCR at L5D3 larval stage, and it was expressed in all tissues, including silk gland, midgut, fat body and malpighian tubule. However, it was highly expressed in ovary and head. The expression profile was also detected at different stage of embryo development, and reached a peak at the 4th and 5th days of the embryonic period. Anti-BmBrat polyclonal antibody was generated f6llowing prokaryotic expression, protein purification and mice immunization, which is highly specific and effective for recognizing BmBrat protein through Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Subcellular localization of BmBrat in hemocytes revealed that it was specifically expressed in cytoplasm. This study provides a foundation for further research of the biological function of BmBrat gene.
Animals ; Bombyx ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; Insect Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Larva ; Mice

Objective:To analyze bone strength index, osteoporosis and fracture in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients with radiologic hip involvement and explore the characteristics of bone strength in these patients.Methods:According to bath ankylosing spondylitis radiology hip index (BASRI-hip) score, 339 AS patients were divided into two groups. The differences of bone strength in each group were analyzed by t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and χ2 test. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of bone strength index. The correlation between quantitative ultrasound and dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) (total hip, g/cm 2) was analyzed. Pearson correlation analysis was used. Results:①Bone strength index of quantitative ultrasound was positively correlated with bone mineral density of DXA (total hip, g/cm 2), r=0.553, P<0.01. ② The age of 27(23, 37) years old in radiographic hip involvement was lower than 37(28, 48) years old in non-radiographic hip involvement, and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-5.986, P<0.01). There were no differences in gender and course of disease between the two groups ( P>0.05).③ The radiographic hip involvement in AS patients whose ages were younger than 50, when compared with non-radiographic hip involvement patients, the bone strength index was lower (78±18 vs 84±16), while bone strength was lower than patients at the same age (41.0% vs 18.4%), however, the incidences of osteoporosis (42.7% vs 28.8%) and fragility fracture (3.7% vs 0%) were significantly higher ( t=3.028, P<0.01; χ2=16.758, P<0.01; χ2=5.886, P=0.019; χ2=4.67, P=0.038). For AS patients whose ages were ≥50, there were no significant differences between the two groups ( P>0.05). ④ Multivariate analysis showed that radiographic hip involvement [ OR (95% CI)=1.912(1.05, 3.48)], age [ OR (95% CI)=0.94(0.911, 0.97)] and body mass index (BMI) (kg/m 2) [ OR (95% CI) =0.875(0.807, 0.948)] were associated with lower bone strength. Conclusion:There is positive correlation between the bone strength index of quantitative ultrasound and bone mineral density of DXA. AS patients with radiographic hip involvement are characterized by decreased bone strength and are more likely to develop osteoporosis and fragile fractures. The risk factors of low bone strength are radiographic hip involvement, age and BMI.

Objective:To compare the effect of fluorescence staining and periodic acid-Schiff staining in the diagnosis of fungal keratitis (FK).Methods:A total of 147 corneal specimens from 147 FK patients treated in Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University from January 2017 to May 2019 with positive corneal scraping or fungal culture were collected.Among them, there were 84 cases with penetrating keratoplasty (PKP), 42 cases with lamellar keratoplasty (LKP) and 21 cases with lesion resection.Another 11 cases with herpes simplex virus keratitis served as negative control.The corneal tissue specimens were performed with fungal fluorescence staining and periodic acid-Schiff staining, respectively.The stained sections were placed under fluorescence microscope and optical microscope to observe fungal hyphae or spores, respectively.The positive rates of the two staining methods were compared, and the positive cases of the diagnosis of FK in corneal tissue samples obtained by different surgical methods and corneal infection caused by different strains of the two staining methods were compared.Written informed consent was obtained from each patient.The study protocol adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shandong Eye Hospital (No.SDSYKYY-2016012).Results:The positive rate of periodic acid-Schiff staining and fungal fluorescence staining was 60.5% (89/147) and 79.6% (117/147), respectively.The positive rate of fluorescence staining in the diagnosis of fungal keratitis was significantly higher than that of periodic acid-Schiff staining ( χ2=28.00, P<0.01), and both the specificity of the two staining methods was 100%.The positive rate of specimens obtained by PKP with fluorescent staining was 85.7% (72/84), and the positive rate with periodic acid-Schiff staining was 65.5% (55/84), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=17.00, P<0.01). The positive rate of specimens obtained by LKP with fluorescent staining was 71.4% (30/42), and the positive rate with periodic acid-Schiff staining was 52.4% (22/42), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=8.00, P<0.01). The positive rate of resected foci specimens with fluorescent staining was 71.4% (15/21), and the positive rate with periodic acid-Schiff staining was 57.1% (12/21), and the difference was not statistically significant ( χ2=1.30, P=0.25). The positive cases of two kinds of staining were different among different fungal strains.Among them, the positive cases of Fusarium solani complex, Pythium insidiosum, Aspergillus fumigatus complex, Candida guilliermondii, Trichoderma and Nigrograna mackinnonii with fluorescence staining were 19, 5, 5, 1, 1 and 1, and the positive cases of periodic acid-Schiff staining were 11, 0, 3, 0, 0 and 0, respectively.The staining results of the 11 negative controls were negative. Conclusions:Fluorescence staining is more sensitive than periodic acid-Schiff staining in the detection of fungal components in paraffin-embedded corneal tissues, and it can significantly improve the fungal detection rates.