Background Compare with the lamellar laser refractive surgery,the laser slip on the surface operation is a better method in the correct of refractive error without the flap-related complications.However,whether to remain corneal epithelial flap and its influence for epithelial healing and visual restoration are still under investigation.Objective The aim of this study was to compare the short-term clinical efficacy of epipolis laser insitu keratomileusis (Epi-LASIK) and flap-free Epi-LASIK for correction of refractive error in high myopia.Methods The paired control design was adopted.Sixty eyes of consecutive 30 patients with high myopia were collected in this study.The written consent form was obtained from each patients prior to operation.Regular EpiLASIK was performed in the right eyes and the flap-free Epi-LASIK was carried out in the left eyes.Patients were followed-up for one month.The postoperative ocular irritation symptoms were scored,and the healing period of corneal epithelium and uncorrected visual acuity were examined at 1,3 and 5 days after operation.The naked visual acuity,diopter,best corrected visual acuity and the grading of haze were recorded and compared between the two groups at one month after operation.Results After surgery,the scores of corneal irritation were 3.13 ±0.43 and 3.30±0.47on the first day,showing insignificant differences between these two groups (t =- 1.54,P＞0.05 ).However,there existed statistically significant difference in the scores of corneal irritation on the third day after operation between the two groups (t =- 17.95,P＜0.01 ).The average time of corneal epithelial healing were (2.58 ±0.49 ) days in the flapfree Epi-LASIK group and ( 3.98 ±0.74) days in Epi-LASIK group with the significant difference between them (t=-11.36,P＜0.01 ).There was no statistical difference in uncorrected visual acuity in the first day (0.59±0.12 vs 0.58±0.11,t=0.39,P＞0.05),the fifth day (0.69±0.08 vs 0.67±0.09,t=0.84,P＞0.05) and 1 month (t =-1.90,P＞0.05 ).No significant difference was seen in the diopter between the two groups in 1 month after surgery (-1.03±0.45 vs -1.07 ±0.38,t =-0.31,P＞0.05 ).The eye numbers of corneal haze for 0 grade were 27 ( 90.00％ ) and over the 0.5 grade were 3 ( 10.00％ ) in flap-free Epi-LASIK group respectively,and those of corneal haze for 0 grade were 26(86.66％ ) and above the 0.5 grade were 4 (13.33％) in Epi-LASIK group respectively,showing a considerably difference between the two groups (x2 =0.0031,P＞0.05).Conclusions Both the flapfree or reserved epithelial Epi-LASIK allow the safe and effective correction of refractive error in high myopia,showing good predictability and stability in short term.Flap-free Epi-LASIK can relieve the corneal irritation symptom and accelerate the healing of corneal epithelium and recovery of visual acuity.

Objective To describe the sonographic appearance of mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver(MHL)and to analyze the diagnostic value of ultrasound.Methods Eleven surgically and pathologically confirmed cases of MHL from January 2005 to May 2011 in the Beijing Children′s Hospital were retrospectively reviewed.Results Ultrasound examinations showed 9 cystic hamartomas,including 7 multiseptate cystic and 2 monocystic lesions.Of the 7 multiseptate cystic hamartomas,4 had a honeycomb appearance and 3 had irregularly-distributed multiple cysts with varied septations.Of the 2 monocystic hamartomas,1 had a large cystic portion while the other was mainly solid with approximately 4% cystic portion of the tumor.Two cases in this group were solid,presenting with a well-defined homogenous mass.Conclusions Ultrasonography is an effective imaging modality for the diagnosis for MHL.A mixed or a mainly-cystic liver mass found in a child less than 2 years old should be suspicious for MHL.

To investigate the therapeutic effect and molecular mechanism of the main flavonoid components of Silybum marianum (S. marianum) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), we identified nine flavonoids in S. marianum through TCMSP, PubChem database and corresponding literatures. The potential therapeutic targets of NAFLD were predicted by SwissTargetPrediction, GeneCards and Venny 2.1.0 platform, while the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of potential targets was analyzed using String platform and Cytoscape software. Then GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed using David 6.8 database, followed by molecular docking verification using AutoDock software. In vitro, components with higher degree value in the "components-targets-pathway" network were chosen for further analysis. L02 cells were used to establish lipid accumulation model and treated with different components. Furthermore, the effects of four pure active compounds from S. marianum on lipid accumulation in hepatocytes were analyzed by oil red O staining. The results showed that the main nine flavonoids extracted from S. marianum contained 24 potential NAFLD targets. Several critical pathways closely related to NAFLD process were identified by GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt) pathway, type 2 diabetes pathway, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) pathway and insulin resistance pathway. The results of molecular docking further indicated that the core components displayed strong binding abilities with key targets respectively, and silandrin showed better binding activity as compared to other components. The results obtained from L02 cells showed that the lipid accumulation was reduced by treatment with isosilybin A, isosilybin B, silydianin and silychristin, while the activity of isosilybin B was better than that of isosilybin A. Taken together, we concluded that the main flavone components of S. marianum could improve lipid accumulation through multiple signaling pathway in hepatocytes, and this could be a potential new strategy for the treatment of NAFLD.

AIMTo study the effects of hydrocortisone sodium succinate on sodium current in human atrial myocytes and in guinea pig ventricular myocytes.

METHODSSingle cardiac myocytes were isolated by enzyme. The effects of hydrocortisone sodium succinate on sodium current (INa) were assessed by applying whole-cell patch clamp techniques.

RESULTSHydrocortisone sodium succinate (1, 3, 10 micromol x L(-1)) was shown to inhibit INa of both human atrial myocytes and guinea pig ventricular myocytes in concentration dependent manner and the IC50 were 6.97 and 8.74 micromol x L(-1), respectively. The inhibition effects acted quickly (1-3 min) and the maximal activating voltage of INa was not changed in both human and guinea pig cardiac myocytes.

CONCLUSIONHydrocortisone sodium succinate can exhibit inhibitory effects on INa in both human and guinea pig cardiac myocytes, and its inhibitory effects act rapidly, which are not consistent with genomic effects, so there may be nongenomic effects.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Animals ; Cell Separation ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Guinea Pigs ; Heart Atria ; pathology ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; pathology ; Heart Ventricles ; cytology ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; physiology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Sodium Channels ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of down-regulation of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) on the proliferation and invasiveness of leukemia cell line U937 cells.

METHODSThree pairs of double-strand siRNA targeting IGFBP7 gene were transfected into SMMC7721 cells to select the most efficient one for U937 cells. qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of IGFBP7 in U937 cells after transiently transfected with siRNA of IGFBP7. Cell proliferation, adhesion, trans-endothelial migration and invasion were performed in transfected cells and control groups.

RESULTSAfter transfected with siRNA of IGFBP7 in U937 cells, the ability of cell proliferation was significantly decreased at 24 h (0.580 ± 0.159) compared to that of parental cells and scramble negative control (1.049 ± 0.274, 0.946 ± 0.195, respectively) (P < 0.01). Adhesion of U937 cells transfected with IGFBP7 gene specific siRNA to ECV304 cells was significantly lower than that of the control groups (0.247 ± 0.031 vs 0.406 ± 0.023 and 0.395 ± 0.011) (P < 0.01). Transendothelial membrane of U937 cells into the bottom of the 24-well plate for experimental group were less than those in the control groups \[(0.387 ± 0.021)×10(5) vs (1.017 ± 0.031)×10(5) and (0.908 ± 0.027)×10(5)\]. Cells adherent to the matrigel for experimental group were less than those in the control groups \[(0.197 ± 0.098)×10(5) vs (0.493 ± 0.067)×10(5) and (0.469 ± 0.083)×10(5)\]. The difference was significant (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONIGFBP7 gene plays a contributing role in leukemogenesis involving in leukemic cells' proliferation and interaction with endothelial cells through adhesion, invasion and migration.

Cell Proliferation ; Down-Regulation ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; metabolism ; pathology ; Transfection ; U937 Cells

OBJECTIVE(99)Tc(m)-HL91 ((99)Tc(m) labeled 4, 9-diaza-3, 3, 10, 10-tetramethyldodecan-2, 11-dione dioxime) is a potential noninvasive marker of tumor hypoxia. It has been reported that (99)Tc(m)-HL91 has validity for hypoxia imaging in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the (99)Tc(m)-HL91 SPECT hypoxia imaging of NSCLC, the expression of inducible hypoxia factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and to analyze their correlations with clinicopathological characteristics.

METHODSTwenty NSCLC patients who underwent radical resection were enrolled into this study prospectively. (99)Tc(m)-HL91 SPECT scanning was performed in all patients at one or two days before surgery. After intravenous injection of approximately 740 MBq (99)Tc(m)-HL91, anterior, posterior and lateral planar images were collected at 2, 4 and 6 hours, respectively. Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn in the tumor and the contralateral normal lung tissue, and the radioactivity ratio of tumor to normal tissue (T/N) was calculated. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of HIF-1alpha and VEGF in sequential histological sections of specimens.

RESULTSAmong the 20 NSCLC patients, 13 showed positive expression of HIF-1alpha and 15 had positive expression of VEGF, with a positive rate of 65.0% and 75.0%, respectively. The uptake of (99)Tc(m)-HL91 was strongly correlated with the expression status of HIF-1alpha. No correlation between HIF-1alpha and VEGF expression levels was observed. The HIF-1alpha expression level was not correlated with histological subtype, but with lymph node involvement. The expression levels of HIF-1alpha and VEGF were positively correlated with tumor stage.

CONCLUSIONThe result of (99)Tc(m)-HL91 SPECT hypoxia imaging is found to be positively correlated with expression of HIF-1alpha in the non-small cell lung cancer. HIF-1alpha expression is positively correlated with VEGF expression. Furthermore, both HIF-1alpha and VEGF expressions are increasing with the increase of tumor stage.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Organotechnetium Compounds ; Oximes ; Prospective Studies ; Radiography ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; methods ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

This study is to investigate the effects of indirubin on ATP-induced immune responses of macrophages. For this, neutral red dye uptake method was used to test phagocytosis, MTT assay was used for measuring cell death, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) was tested with fluorescent probe DHE. The data showed that extracellular ATP attenuated phagocytosis, induced cell death and increased ROS production, and these effects were restored by pre-treating with indirubin. This result suggested that indirubin blockade the effects of ATP on macrophages, because extracellular ATP-induced effects are dependent on P2 receptors, in particular P2X7 receptors. Furthermore, the effects of indirubin on the activation of P2 receptors were tested, in particular P2X7 receptors. The data showed that indirubin significantly decreased ATP-induced, P2 receptors mediated intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) rise and inhibited P2X7 receptor-based ethidium bromide (EB) dye uptake. These results suggested the inhibitory effects of indirubin on the activation of P2X7 receptors, which may underlying the effects on ATP induced ROS production, phagocytosis attenuation and cell death of macrophages.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Death ; drug effects ; Indoles ; pharmacology ; Macrophages ; cytology ; metabolism ; physiology ; Male ; Phagocytosis ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Receptors, Purinergic P2X7 ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDThe emergence of heteroresistant vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) is increasingly challenging the methods for detection in diagnostic microbiology laboratories. However, the report of hVISA is rare in China. This study summarizes the prevalence and clinical features associated with hVISA infections at our institution and the local impact they have on clinical outcome.

METHODSA total of 122 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates which were of the causative pathogens were collected. One hundred and two patients for whom we had full information of MRSA pneumonia were included. Isolates of MRSA were collected using PCR to detect the mecA gene. Both Etest and macro Etest were performed to screen for hVISA. The Staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec (SCCmec) types were determined by multiplex PCR strategy. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors.

RESULTSAmong the 122 MRSA isolates collected, 25 (20.5%) strains were identified as hVISA. There were 119 (97.5%) SCCmec III isolates, two (1.6%) SCCmec II isolates, and one (0.8%) SCCmec V isolate. The 30-day mortality of MRSA-hospital acquired pneumonia (HAP) was 37.3%, and 62.5% for hVISA-HAP. Vancomycin treatment was the independent risk factor of hVISA. Factors independently associated with 30-day mortality in all patients were acute physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score >20, multiple lobe lesions, and creatinine clearance rate (CCR) < 15 ml/min.

CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of hVISA is 20.5% at our institution. hVISA-HAP patients had a poor clinical outcome. Vancomycin treatment was the independent predictors for hVISA infection. Factors independently associated with 30-day mortality in all patients were APACHE II score > 20, multiple lobe lesions and CCR < 15 ml/min.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Middle Aged ; Staphylococcal Infections ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Staphylococcus aureus ; drug effects ; pathogenicity ; Tertiary Care Centers ; statistics & numerical data ; Vancomycin ; therapeutic use ; Vancomycin Resistance

Human Interleukin-11(hIL-11)has no Cys residue in its natural form.By site-directed mutagenesis,a Cys residue can be introduced to replace the 1st residue Gly and the rhIL-11 was chemically modified by using 20 kDa mPEG-maleimide conjugated to this site.The mPEG-hIL-11 conjugate was purified and showed a single band on SDS-PAGE with an apparent molecular weight.The biological activity of purified mPEG-hIL-11 was determined using a dependent cell line 7TD1.The remaining biological activity of PEGylated-rhIL-11 was 30% of native rhIL-11,suggesting chemical modification of rhIL-11 by PEG is a promising approach for improving the pharmacological efficacy.

OBJECTIVETo assess the early therapeutic and cognitive effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with antidepressant medication in treatment of first-episode patients with major depression.

METHODSSixty first-episode depressed inpatients aged 18-45 y, who met the DSM-IV clinical criteria for major depressive episode were randomly assigned to citalopram treatment (20 mg/d) in combination with a two-week period of either rTMS (study group)or sham procedure (control group) on left dorsal-lateral prefrontal cortex (10 Hz, 90% motor threshold). The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) was used to assess the severity of depression. The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and Continuous Performance Test (CPT) were used to assess cognitive function of depression.

RESULTThe response rate was significantly greater in the study group compared to the control group after treatment (57% compared with 29%,P<0.05). The HAMD scores significantly declined after treatment in two groups, and the study group showed lower scores compared to the control group after 2 weeks (P<0.01). Neuropsychological assessments showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups except for the significant improvement in the categories on WCST in study group compared to the baseline (P<0.05) and the control group (P<0.05)after 2 weeks treatment. No serious event occurred in the patients during the rTMS study.

CONCLUSION10 Hz rTMS enhances early effects of citalopram and improves cognitive function in first-episode major depressive patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antidepressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Citalopram ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; therapy ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult