Objective:To investigate the survival rate change of retinal ganglion cells（RGCs）in a mouse of optic nerve crush（ONC）.Methods:Ninety-seven male C57BL/6J mice（6 to 8 weeks）were selected and divided into normal group（ n=5）, sham-operation group（ n=5）and ONC group（ n=5）according to the random number table. In normal group, both eyes of the mice did not receive any intervention. In sham-operation group, the right eye of the mice received sham operation, while the left eye reveived no intervention. In ONC group, the left eye received ONC, and the right eye received sham operation. In normal group, the density of RGCs in both eyes was quantified and compared. In sham-operatioin group, the density of RGCs in the sham operation eye was calculated and then compared to the average density of RGCs in normal group. In ONC group, the survival rate of RGCs was set as the ratio between the left eye（ONC eye）and the right eye（sham-operation eye）. The survival rate of RGCs in ONC group was compared after crush injury for 5, 10, 20, 30 seconds）（the sacrifice time was set at day 7）, and was compared after sampling on days 3, 4, 5, 7, 14, 30, 60, 90, 180（the duration of crush injury was set as 20 seconds）. Results:In normal group, the density of RGCs in the right eye was（5, 167.3±55.6）cell/mm 2, with no statistical difference from that in the left eye［（5, 199.6±44.8）cell/mm 2］（ P>0.05）. The density of RGCs in normal group and sham-operation group was（5, 183.5±33.4）cell/mm 2 and（5, 151.5±87.6）cell/mm 2, showing no statistical difference（ P>0.05）. The survival rate of RGCs in ONC group after crush injury for 5, 10, 20, 30 seconds was（37.6±1.1）%,（34.0±0.9）%,（33.6±1.6）% and（30.3±0.6）%（ P<0.01）. In comparison, there was statistical difference in the survival rate of RGCs between crush injury for 5 seconds and for 30 seconds（ P<0.01）, but not among other duration of crush injury（ P>0.05）. The survival rate of RGCs in ONC group after sampling on days 3, 4, 5, 7, 14, 30, 60, 90, 180 was（85.4±2.0）%,（67.6±3.1）%,（43.0±1.0）%,（33.6±1.6）%,（22.7±2.0）%,（12.8±0.6）%,（10.4±0.8）%,（8.6±0.5）% and（6.7±0.2）%（ P<0.01）, showing the most obvious drop from day 3 to day 5. Additionally, the curve became flattened after 30 days. Conclusions:In a mouse model of ONC, varying durations of crushing will lead to different damage to RGCs in a progressive mode, indicating that following the primary injury（ONC）, the RGCs suffer secondary injury as well. Therefore, effectively controlling the secondary injury may be the key point of treating optic nerve injuries.

The abnormality of serine/threonine kinase Aurora-A is seen in many types of cancers. Although in physiological context it has been shown to play a vital role in cellular mitosis, how this oncogene contributes to tumorigenesis remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that Aurora-A overexpression enhances both the expression level and transcriptional activity of c-Myc. The inhibition of c-Myc expression by RNA interference significantly impaired the oncogenic potential of Aurora-A, resulting in attenuated cellular proliferation and transformation rates as well as fewer centrosomal aberrations. Furthermore, downregulation of c-Myc effectively overcame Aurora-A-induced resistance to cisplatin in esophageal cancer cells. Taken together, our results suggest an important role for c-Myc in mediating the oncogenic activity of Aurora-A, which may in turn allow for future targeting of c-Myc as a potential therapeutic strategy for tumors with Aurora-A overexpression.
Cell Line, Transformed ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/drug effects/genetics ; Centro ; Chromo ; Cisplatin/pharmacology ; Down-Regulation ; E ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects ; Humans ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics/*metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc/genetics/*metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering/genetics ; Transcriptional Activation ; Transgenes/genetics

The nucleocapsid protein (N protein) has been found to be an antigenic protein in a number of coronaviruses. Whether the N protein in severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is antigenic remains to be elucidated. Using Western blot and Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), the recombinant N proteins and the synthesized peptides derived from the N protein were screened in sera from SARS patients. All patient sera in this study displayed strong positive immunoreactivities against the recombinant N proteins, whereas normal sera gave negative immunoresponses to these proteins, indicating that the N protein of SARS-CoV is an antigenic protein. Furthermore, the epitope sites in the N protein were determined by competition experiments, in which the recombinant proteins or the synthesized peptides competed against the SARS-CoV proteins to bind to the antibodies raised in SARS sera. One epitope site located at the C-terminus was confirmed as the most antigenic region in this protein. A detailed screening of peptide with ELISA demonstrated that the amino sequence from Codons 371 to 407 was the epitope site at the C-terminus of the N protein. Understanding of the epitope sites could be very significant for developing an effective diagnostic approach to SARS.
Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epitopes ; chemistry ; immunology ; Humans ; Nucleocapsid Proteins ; chemistry ; immunology ; Peptide Fragments ; chemical synthesis ; Plasmids ; Recombinant Proteins ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism

The increasing incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become a major global public health problem. Hypertension and CKD can cause and effect each other and often coexist. Controlling blood pressure is one of the core tasks in the treatment of CKD. Over the past 10 years, many large clinical studies have provided evidence-based medical evidence for the updating and revision of hypertension management guidelines, but there remains controversies in targets of blood pressure in hypertensive patients with CKD. Personalized and evidence-based management is the key to achieve effective control of blood pressure and slow the progression of CKD. This review will summary the epidemiological status of hypertensive patients with CKD and the progress related to the targets of controlling blood pressure in CKD.

The human biorhythm is closely related to the blood pressure level and the effect of the antihypertensive treatment of hypertension. The human circadian biorhythm changes the therapeutic effect of antihypertensive drugs by affecting the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; at the same time, following the human blood pressure rhythm in the treatment of hypertension can reduce the risk of target organ damage and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Therefore, in the treatment of hypertension, the administration time and drug dosage should be adjusted according to the pharmacochronology to obtain the best curative effect and minimal side effects, and reduce the occurrence of adverse reactions and complications.