Objective To discuss the relationship between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D[25(OH)D] level and the severity of diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods 1474 cases of type 2 diabetic patients were classified into three groups according to their severity of diabetic retinopathy, the non-diabetic retinopathy group(NDR group, n =640), the background diabetic retinopathy group(BDR group, n =494) and the proliferative diabetic retinopathy group(PDR group, n=340).640 healthy people with normal level of glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c) were selected as control group(NDM group, n=640).Disease duration, body mass index(BMI), systolic pressure, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C), HbA1c and 25(OH)D were detected and compared among groups.Results Disease duration and HbA1c were increasing significantly, and the levels were NDM groupNDR group>BDR group>PDR group(all P<0.05).The level of 25(OH)D was negatively related to disease duration and HbA1c (P<0.001), and it was negatively associated to the severity of diabetic retinopathy(r=-0.855,P<0.001).Conclusion The decrease of 25(OH)D level is closely associated with the severity of diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and it might be an important predictor for the severity of diabetic retinopathy.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; epidemiology ; Welding

Objective 99Tcm-ciprofloxacin(Infecton)and 99Tcm-HIgG are both radiopharmaceuticals for inflammation and infectious disease imaging.It was reported that99Tcm-ciprofloxacin (Infecton)Was able to distinguish inflammation from infection.while 99Tcm-HIgG was a nonspecific agent.The study Was designed to compare the in vivo characteristics between 99Tcm-ciprofloxacin(Infecton)and 99Tcm-HIgG in rabbit model of inflammation.Methods Eight rabbits were grouped as inflammation model(the first group).infection model(the second group),concomitant inflammation and infection model(the third group),and control(the fourth group)groups.A total of 185 MBq(0.5 m1)99Tcm-ciprofloxacin(Infecton)Was administered intravenously to each rabbit.a serious dynamic images were acquired till 24 h post-injection.Repeated examination with99Tcm-HIgG was carried out 2 d later.Resuits 99Tcm-ciprofloxacin(Infecton)scan was negative in the inflammation models and controls.and was positive in the infection models.In the third group99Tcmciprofloxacin(Infecton)showed infection focus in the left thigh but negative uptake at inflammation focus in the right thigh.99Tcm-HIgG scan were positive in all models.The optimal image time for99Tcm-ciprofloxacin(Infecton)was 3 h after administration.but positive image could still be observed 24 h later.Conclusion 99Tcm-ciprofloxacin(Infecton)appears to specifically accumulate in the infective lesion.

Objective To explore the immune property and possible mechanism of the CD71+ CD235a+ nucleated erythroid cells from peripheral blood in elderly,as compared with those of healthy young.Methods Peripheral blood obtained by venipuncture from healthy young(n=59,mean age=28 years) and elderly(n=78,mean age=68 years)donors were measured by flow cytometry to evaluate the frequency of the CD71+ CD235a+ cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).In vitro assays,CD71+ CD235a+ cells were sorted by flow cytometry and T cells were sorted using CD4+T cell isolation kit,then the T cell proliferation assays were conducted by following groups:T cell + CFSE group;T cell +CFSE co-cultured with CD71+ CD235a+ cells from the young donors;T cell + CFSE co-cultured with CD71+ CD235a+ cells from the older donors.Real-time PCR were used to identify the expression of the immune cytokine secreted by CD71+ CD235a+ cells.Results (1)the results showed a significant increase in the percentage of CD71+ CD235a+ cells in the elderly compared with the young [(9.93± 2.95)％ vs (1.96 ± 1.16)％,t =3.37,P ＜ 0.001];(2)the CD71+ CD235a+ cells from the older donors could suppress the proliferation of the T cells (t =2.91,P＜ 0.05)while from the young group we could not observe this phenomenon(t =0.387,P＞0.05).(3)The results of Real-time PCR revealed that,compared with CD71+ CD235a+ cells from the young,CD71+ CD235a+ cells from the elderly expressed higher levels of Arg-2 (t =9.04,P＜0.01),IL-1β,IL-6 and TGF-β(t =4.51,5.46,6.92,all P＜0.05).Conclusions There are higher frequencies of CD71+ CD235a+ cells in aged samples than the young.And the CD71+CD235a cells from the elderly could secrete more Arg-2,IL-1β,IL-6 and TGF-β to suppress the T cell proliferation.

Based on the different permeability of DNA-intercalant dyes YO-PRO-1(YP) and propidium iodide (PI) to the membrane of viable, apoptotic and necrotic cells, cell samples were stained with 4?mol/L YP and 4?g/ml PI for 10 min, and the fluorescence intensity of both YP and PI were measured by fluorometer at Ex/Em wavelength of 485/538nm and 530/590nm, respectively. The correlation between YP fluorescence intensity and the apoptotic cell number was confirmed by fluorescence microscope and linear regression(r=0.999,P

Objective To explore the expression of negative costimulatory molecule B7-H1 of myeloid derived suppressor cells(MDSCs) and its roles in age-related immunosuppressive functions.Methods 36 C57BL/6 mice were divided into 2 groups:the elderly group(12-month-old,n=18) and the young group(4-8-week-old,n=18).The expressive level of negative costimulatory molecules of MDSCs in the two groups was measured by flow cytometry(FCM).Besides,MDSCs were sorted by using MDSC isolation kit and T cells were obtained by grinding lymph nodes.To explore the influence of B7-H1 on the MDSCs' immunosuppressive functions,T cell proliferation and intervention assay was conducted using the five following groups:T cells group,T cells + CFSE group [T cells with carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester(CFSE)],T cells +-CFSE cocultured with MDSCs from the young group,T cells + CFSE cocultured with MDSCs from the elderly group,and T cells + CFSE cocultured with MDSCs from elderly group and anti-B7-H1 blocking antibody.The effect of B7-H1 on T cell proliferation in MDSCs were observed.Results The expression level of B7-H1 of the MDSCs was significantly increased in the elderly group as compared with the young group(t=3.27,P＜0.05).T cell proliferation assay revealed that T cells were remarkably suppressed by MDSCs in elderly group as compared to the youth group(t=5.42,P＜0.05).The suppression of T cells by MDSCs was dramatically reversed by anti-B7-H1 blocking antibody in elderly group(t=8.28,P＜0.05).Conclusions B7-H1,a molecule expressed on the surface of MDSCs,plays a key role in the age-related immunosuppressive function of MDSCs.

Objective To characterize the changes of retinal structure and visual field mean defects (MD) in early Parkinson's disease (PD) and the related factors.Methods Twenty-five patients with early stage PD and 33 normal controls were enrolled in this study.PD patients were evaluated by unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS) and Hoehn-Yahr (H-Y) stage in off period.All subjects undertook retina of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macular examinations by optical coherence tomography (OCT),and MD by automatic visual field analyzer.Results (1) The average thicknesses of RNFL and C11 quadrant RNFL were thinner in PD group [(96.2 ±7.6) μm and (124.4 ± 18.4) μm] than in healthy controls [(102.6 ± 5.0) μm and (135.4 ± 21.8) μm,respectively,P =0.000 and P =0.047].Moreover,PD patients had a thinner average thickness of macular[(277.2 ±9.6) μm vs (285.8 ± 12.6)μm,P=0.006],and smaller macular volume compared with controls [(10.0 ± 0.3) mm3 vs (10.3 ±0.4) mm3,P =0.006].However,there was no significant difference in MD between PD and control subjects [(0.43 ± 2.75) dB vs (-0.18 ± 1.41) dB,P =0.322].(2) Pearson's correlation analysis showed that H-Y stage was negative correlated with the average RNFL thickness (r =-0.569),average macular thickness and volume (r=-0.501 and r=-0.417) in PD patients (all P＜0.05).Conclusions PD patients have thinner average thicknesses of RNFL,C11 quadrant RNFL and macular,smaller macular volume than those in normal controls.There were no significant differences in MD between two groups.There were negative relationships between H-Y stage,and retinal thickness and volume of PD patients.

AIM: To test the expression of erythropoietin (Epo) and its receptor EpoR in normal and neovascularized murine corneas induced by alkali burns, and to investigate whether Epo/EpoR is involved in the process of corneal angiogenesis.METHODS: The expression of Epo/EpoR was tested in normal and neovascularized murine corneas induced by alkali burns through immunohistochemistry of corneal frozen sections. Epo cloning, expression, and purification were carried out. Then Epo protein (6μL, 1μg) and control (6μ L of vector control or saline) were injected into the corneal stroma respectively, and the corneas were checked at the 14th day after injection to see whether corneal neovascuarization occurred.RESULTS: Epo/EpoR was expressed in epithelial cells, endothelial cells and stromal cells in normal and neovascularized corneas induced by alkaline burns, and also expressed strongly in neovascularized cornea. They were expressed at the same time in stromal inflammatory cells and new vessels. Corneal neovascularization was induced by Epo intrastromal injection in 5 out of 6 eyes ,but no new vessels were observed in all controls (n = 6) at day 14 after vector control or saline intrastromal injection in normal corneas.CONCLUSION: This paper first reported the expression of Epo and its receptor in normal and neovascularized cornea. Injection of Epo into the corneal stroma may induce the corneal neovascularization. Epo/EpoR is associated with the formation of corneal neovascularization.

Introduction: In Malaysia, late stage presentation of breast cancer (stage III or IV) has been a healthcare problem that varies geographically throughout the country. This study aims to understand the factors influencing late stage of breast cancer at presentation among Malaysian women in Segamat Hospital, Johor, which is a district hospital. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted on secondary data of all newly diagnosed breast cancer women from 1st August 2011 to 28th February 2014. Secondary data includes age, ethnicity, marital status, family history, education level, occupation, presenting symptom, duration of symptom, tumour size, tumour pathology, tumour grading, oestrogen, progesterone and HER-2 receptor status were collected and analysed using SPSS version 20.0.0. Result: In total, data from 52 women was analysed and two women were excluded for incompleteness as these women defaulted. Late stage at presentation was 59.6% of all new cases (17.3%, stage III and 42.3%, stage IV). The commonest age group of all women diagnosed with breast cancer was in the 5th decade. Majority of them were Malay, married and housewives with no family history of breast cancer. The statistically significant factors associated with late stage at presentation include Malay ethnicity (p=0.019), presenting symptoms other than breast lump (p=0.047), and duration of breast lump more than 3 months (p=0.009). Discussion/Conclusion: The study demonstrated presentation at late stage of breast cancer is a major health concern among Malaysian women in district hospital. This may be attributed to different sociocultural beliefs, strong belief in complementary and alternative medicine, lack of awareness, and difficult accessibility to healthcare services.
Breast Neoplasms

Objective To investigate the level of subpopulations of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in elderly tumor-bearing mice versus elderly tumor-free mice,and to study the difference in immune suppressive functions between different subpopulations and their mechanisms.Methods A total of 20 healthy C57BL/6 elderly mice(aged 18-20 months) were randomly chosen to establish Lewis lung cancer models.The amount of monocytic-MDSCs (MO-MDSCs) and polymorphonuclear granulocytic-MDSCs(PMN-MDSCs) in tumor-free and tumor-bearing elderly mice was evaluated by using flow cytometry.MO-MDSCs and PMN-MDSCs were separated with Magnetic-Activated Cell Sorting (MACS) MicroBeads and their morphological characteristics were observed after May-Grunwald-Giemsa staining.The effects of MO-MDSCs and PMN-MDSCs on the proliferation of T cells were determined by Brdu-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).And the immune suppressive mediators secreted by the subpopulations were detected by Real-time polymerase chain reaction(PCR).Results Compared to the tumor-free group,the proportion of MO-MDSCs in the spleen of tumorbearing group were increased [(12.44± 1.20) ％ vs.(38.42±3.66) ％,t=5.67,P＜0.001],while PMN-MDSCs were not [(10.34±0.68) ％ vs.(12.18±1.27) ％,t=2.21,P=0.09].The result of Brdu-ELISA showed that MO-MDSCs could suppress the proliferation of T cells [(0.30 ± 0.18) vs.(3.38±0.96),t=8.33,P＜0.001],while PMN MDSCs could not [(2.69±0.45)vs.(3.38±0.96),t =1.72,P=0.11].The result of PCR showed that as compared with PMN-MDSCs,Mo-MDSCs had the increased expression levels of arginase-1 (ARG-1),inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS),interleukin-10 (IL-10),interferon-γ(IFN-γ) (t =4.31,8.89,1.70,3.13,respectively,P ＜ 0.01 or 0.05),while the expression levels of interleukin-13 (IL-13),transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) had no differences (t=4.94 and 2.75,P =0.39 and0.47).Conclusions MO-MDSCs are significantly increased in elderly Lewis lung cancer mice models.MO-MDSCs could mediate lung tumor evasion by suppressing the proliferation of T cells through highly expressing ARG-1,iNOS,IL-10 and IFN-γ.