AIM:To evaluate the morphological and functional changes of retinas induced by treatment of tunicamycin with optical coherence tomography (OCT) in rats.METHODS:Totally 60 SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (20 in each group), 0.5mg/kg (in low dose group), 1.5mg/kg (in high dose group) tunicamycin were injected into vitreous cavity and saline (9g/L NaCl) were injected in the same dose as a control group.Changes of retinas were observed by OCT on the 1,7 and 14d after treatment of tunicamycin.Then the rats were sacrificed, retinas were taken out and embedded by the paraffin, tissue sections and the HE staining were performed.RESULTS:OCT results suggested that tunicamycin played damage effects on retinal morphology and structure which appeared a time-and dose-dependent.Fundus photography results suggested that 2wk after tunicamycin treatments, with the gradually changing of tunicamycin concentration, peripheral retinal and macular region became pale color gradually, edema occurred in optic disk, retinal vessels appeared thinner in the high dose group, optic nerve came out atrophy.Fluorescein angiography confirmed that tunicamycin injection in vitreous cavity 2wk later, retinal vessels injury occurred, resulted in leaking of intravascular contrast agent from peripheral to the central part of the retinas.Electrophysiological data showed that retinal electrogram occurred disorder induced by tunicamycin, such as the amplitude of a wave, b wave decreased gradually, even closed to zero, which was very different from control significantly (P<0.05).HE staining of paraffin sections showed that retina injuries induced by tunicamycin were in dose-time dependent, which was consistent with the results of OCT.CONCLUSION: Clinical retinal diseases could be simulated by retinal damage animal model induced by tunicamycin treatment.OCT detection offered real-time images of the retinal cross-section, which provided a helpful non-invasive method for detecting and evaluating the retinal damages.

Objective To evaluate the long-term clinical efficacy and security of levetiracetam (Lev) as add-on therapy in patients with different types of epilepsies from an observational study.Methods Fifty-one patients were evaluated (14 female,37male,age range from 7months to 16 years,mean age 8.7 years) with different types of epilepsies ( 20 complex partial seizure,10 tonic-clonic seizure,1 tonic seizure,6 myoclonic epilepsy,2 Lennox-Gastaut syndrome,4 infantile spasms and 2 unspecified epileptic syndromes).The basis for comparison was defined as the seizure frequency in the 3 months prior to the commencement of treatment.Patients received Lev as add-on therapy.The initial dosage was 20 mg/(kg?d),and it was increased 10 mg/(kg?d) every 2 weeks.The maintenance dosage was 30-40 mg/(kg?d).Seizure frequency changes and adverse events were observed.Follow-up was conducted for a period of 6.8 months after treatment.SPSS 14.0 software was used to compare the difference between the seizure frequency before the Lev treatment and that after the Lev treatment.Results Thirteen (25.5%) out of the 51 patients reduced seizure frequency,16 (31.4%) patients had no reoccurrence;While another 9 (17.6%) patients seizure frequencied were reduced,8 patients' remained the same,and 5 patients' condition was got wor-sened.Six cases ceased treatment because of the worsening of the disease and the intolerance of Lev.The difference and after seizure frequency before in Lev treatment is statistically significant(P

0.05).The period when epileptiform abnormalities appear was obviously different(P

0.05).Of essay group 19 children whose PET were normal or slight abnormal,8 children's VEEG had epileptifrom abnormalities only appear in lucid interval,8 children's VEEG had epileptifrom abnormalities appear in nocturnal sleep period,3 children's VEEG had epileptifrom abnormalities appear in lucid interval and nocturnal sleep period.Of essay group,7 children whose PET were serious abnormal,6 children's VEEG had epileptifrom abnormalities appear in lucid interval and nocturnal sleep period.The PET outcome was relate with the time of VEEG epileptic discharge(r=0.461 P

0.05).Attention,ability of calculation(MMSE items)and DS scores were negatively correlated with left amygdala volumes(r=-0.51～-0.57,P

Teaching principles and class content were stated for a experimental course of common pathogenic bacteria detection methods for the undergraduate student in food quality and safety major. They include course material preview, advanced teaching methods, combination of teaching and research, graduate teaching assistant, experimental reports writing and experimental skills evaluation. All these means lead to a good teaching outcome.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of growth hormone (GH) combined with Radix Dipsaci on the body growth and the bone mineral content (BMC) of hypophysectomized rats.

METHODSThe GH deficiency rats model was established using the hypophysectomized operation through the skull and the throat. Qualified rats were divided into the sham-operation group (n = 15), the negative control group (n = 13), the GH intervention group (n = 13), and the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group(n = 12). GH (0.25 mg/kg) was subcutaneously injected from the cervical part in the GH intervention group and the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group at the same time, while equal volume of normal saline was injected to the rest groups. 0.7 mL/100 kg Radix Dipsaci was given by gastrogavage to the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group at the same time, while equal volume of normal saline was given by gastrogave to the rest groups. The body weight, the tail length, and the body length were measured during the intervention period. Blood was withdrawn after 14-day intervention. The femoral bone and the tibial bone were taken out. The levels of GH, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and osteocalcin (OC) were measured. The width of the tibial epiphyseal plate was measured. The bilateral femur bone mineral density (BMD) and BMC were measured using the dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTSThe body weight, the body length, the length of the femoral bone, the length of the tibial bone, the width of the epiphyseal plate, the levels of the GH, IGF-1, ALP, and OC increased in the GH intervention group and the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group after 2-week intervention, showing statistical difference when compared with the model group (P < 0.01). But there was no statistical difference in the tail length though it also increased (P > 0.05). There was insignificant difference in the aforesaid indices between the two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the model group, the BMD of the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group increased with statistical difference (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the BMC of the GH intervention group and the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group increased with statistical difference (P < 0.01). It was highest in the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSGH combined with Radix Dipsaci showed unobvious effect on promoting the growth. But it could elevate BMD and BMC, and improve the bone metabolism.

Animals ; Bone Development ; drug effects ; Bone and Bones ; metabolism ; Dipsacaceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Growth Hormone ; pharmacology ; Hypophysectomy ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Insulin-like growth factors (IGF) system plays an important role in regulating growth and development of children. The change of this system is closely related to growth restriction caused by various diseases. This article reviews the research progress on how IGF system affects growth.
Developmental Disabilities ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Somatomedins ; metabolism ; physiology

Objective To explore the molecular mechanisms of primary amenorrhea by using arrayCGH technology. Methods Ten patients with primary amenorrhea and 10 female volunteers with regular menstrual cycles as healthy controls were selected. All patients and control samples were analyzed by conventional chromosome analysis (G-banding technology) and array-CGH technology, respectively. ArrayCGH was performed using Affymetrix Cytogenetic 2. 7M arrays following the manufacturer's standard protocol. Results Both the patient group and control group analyzed by conventional G-banding karyotype technology showed a negative result with a normal female karyotype: 46, XX. The result of array-CGH analysis demonstrated a microdeletion of approximately 110 000 bp located at the end of the short arm of X chromosome [46, X, del (X) (p22. 33 )] were identified in 5 patients, which was not detected in the control group. All healthy control samples by array-CGH analysis showed no pathological DNA copy number variation. Conclusions Array-CGH technology can improve the diagnosis rate of chromosomal disease at the DNA level. It is necessary to provide array-CGH for higher resolution genetic analysis of idiopathic primary amenorrhea patient who can not be identified by conventional technology.

Objective:To investigate the correlation of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the PRRC2A gene with the susceptibility to sporadic breast cancer among Han women in Jiangsu Province, China. Methods:Using the genotyping technique of matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, we analyzed the polymorphisms of an SNP (chr6_31697494) in gene PRRC2A in 214 breast cancer patients and 212 healthy controls admitted to the Huaian Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital. The genotype frequencies were analyzed using a Chi-square test between the case and control groups. Unconditional lo-gistic regression analysis for calculating the odds ratio (OR) and 95%confidence interval (95%CI) was conducted by analyzing the cor-relation between the susceptibility to breast cancer and genotypes. Additional analysis was then performed based on the immunohisto-chemical results of the estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR). Results:The genotype frequencies for chr6_31697494 between the case and control groups were not significantly different (P>0.05). Further analysis indicated that the genotype frequencies of the site were significantly different in the ER (+/-) groups or the PR (+/-) groups (P<0.05). Heterozygous genotype (chr6_31697494, CT) was related to the breast cancers with ER (+) and PR (+) (OR=0.40, 95%CI:0.33-0.47;OR=0.49, 95%CI:0.43-0.57, respectively). Conclusion:No significant difference was found between the polymorphism of chr6_31697494 in the PRRC2A gene and the suscepti-bility to breast cancer among Han women in Jiangsu Province. The heterozygous genotypes were associated with breast cancer tissues with ER (+) and PR (+).