Objective To investigate the related factors of the retinal hemorrhage in high-risk infants (HRI).Methods Eight hundred and sixty HRI with histories of high-risk pregnancy and/or neonatal asphyxia after 1-5 days of birth were enrolled in this study.In 860 cases of HRI,498 infants were vaginal delivery and 362 infants were delivered through cesarean sections.Among 498 vaginal delivered infants,407infants were eutocia and 91 infants were with forceps delivery; 298 infants were born following normal labor,102 infants experienced prolonged labor,and 98 infants were urgent birth.The retinal hemorrhages were observed and conditions were graded into three degrees of Ⅰ,Ⅱ,and Ⅲ.Conditions of neonatal asphyxia were evaluated based on criteria of Apgar score.The incidence of retinal hemorrhage in the different types of deliveries and labor processes were compared,and the relationship between degree of retinal hemorrhage and grade of neonatal asphyxia were analyzed.Results In 860 cases of HRI,retinal hemorrhages were found in 202 infants (23.5％).Within these 202 infants,75 infants (37.1％) were Ⅰdegree retinal hemorrhage,75 infants (37.1％) were Ⅱ degree retinal hemorrhage,and 52 infants (25.8％)were Ⅲ degree retinal hemorrhage.In these 202 infants of retinal hemorrhage,172 infants (85.1 ％) had histories of asphyxia; 119 infants (69.2％) were graded as mild asphyxia-risk,and 53 infants (30.8％)were graded as severe asphyxia-risk.There was a statistical difference of the degree of the retinal hemorrhage between the mild and severe asphyxia-risk infants (x2 =34.61,P＜0.01).The incidence of retinal hemorrhage after vaginal delivery was higher than cesarean section delivery with significant statistical difference (x2 =30.73,P＜ 0.01).The incidence of retinal hemorrhage after forceps delivery was significantly higher than eutocia with statistical difference (x2 =62.78,P＜0.01).Both prolonged and urgent childbirth had statistically significant higher incidences of retinal hemorrhage compared to normal labor in the process of vaginal delivery (x2＝45.86,71.51; P＜0.01).Asphyxia,types of delivery,prolonged and urgent labors were risk factors of retinal hemorrhage for HRI (r=7.46,4.87,15.03,6.47;P＜ 0.01).Conclusions The incidence of retinal hemorrhage in high-risk infant was 23.5％.And,asphyxia,types of delivery,prolonged and urgent labors may play roles of risk factor in retinal hemorrhage of HRI.

To determine the possibility whether DNA vaccines pcDNA3/SjSDISP of Schistosoma japonicum to induce autoimmunity and immune tolerance in the vaccinated mice, the titer of the specific antibodies against SjSDISP and the production of the autoimmune antibodies, such as presence of anti-nuclear and anti-dsDNA antibodies in the vaccinated mice were detected by ELISA assay and the toxicity of the plasmid DNA was studied through the observation of the change in body weight and the pathological examination of the major organs in mice. It was found that the titer of the specific antibody against SjSDISP was 1∶400 as determined by ELISA, but no autoimmune antibody could detected. The difference of the body weight of mice between the experimental and the control groups was not significant. No abnormal results of histopathological examination were obtained in both groups. From these observations, it is clear that there is no evidence to show that DNA vaccine pcDNA3/SjSDISP can induce auto-immunity and immune tolerance in mice.

AIM: To study the effects of prearuptorin C (Pra-C) on myocardial sarcolemma Na~+, K~+-ATPase activity, myocardial mitochondria Na~+, K~+-ATPase, Ca~ 2+ -ATPase, Mg~ 2+ -ATPase activities and apperent Km and Vmax in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and renovascular hypertensive rats (RHR). METHODS: ATPase activity was measured with colourmetric method. Apparent Km and Vmax of both Na~+, K~+-ATPase in myocardial sarcolemma and Ca~ 2+ -ATPase in myocardial mitochondria were calculated according to Lineweaven-Burk double-reciprocal plot method with liner regression. RESULTS: The Vmax of both Na~+, K~+-ATPase in myocardial sarcolemma and Ca~ 2+ -ATPase in myocardial mitochondria were lower in SHR untreated group than that in SD control rats, while Km was higher than that in SD control rats. In RHRs untreated group, only Vmax was decreased, while the Km had no statistically change. Pra-C prevented the reduction of ATPase in amount, but not affected their intrinsic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that both amounts and affinities to ATP of Na~+, K~+-ATPase and Ca~ 2+ -ATPase were decreased in SHRs, but in RHRs, only amounts of ATPase was decreased, while their affinities to ATP were unchanged. Treatment with Pra-C prevents the decrease in amount of ATPase.

Objective To investigate the vision-related quality of life （VRQL） in patients with glaucoma and to explore the intervention. Methods 260 patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) were investigated with questionnaire of VRQL and self-evaluation before and after health education. 100 health adults with similar age and vision was selected as controls. Results There were significant decrease on VRQL and self-evaluation in patients with glaucoma. Systematic health education can significantly improve their VRQL and self-evaluation. Conclusion The in patients with Glaucoma may result in decrease of VRQL， and systemic health education can improve the quality of life.

AIM:To investigate the change of short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD) expression during cardiomyocyte apoptosis and to explore the relationship between SCAD and cardiomyocyte apoptosis .METHODS: The neonatal rat cardiomyocytes treated by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) were used as the model of cardiomyocyte apoptosis . The cell viability , the expression of SCAD at mRNA and protein levels , the activity of SCAD and the content of free fatty acids were determined .RESULTS:The mRNA and protein expression of SCAD decreased in the cardiomyocyte apoptosis model.Compared with negative control group , SCAD expression and activity were both significantly decreased in siRNA-1186 group, but the content of free fatty acids were obviously increased in the cardiomyocytes .Meanwhile, SCAD siRNA treatment triggered the same apoptosis as cardiomyocytes treated with tBHP .CONCLUSION: Down-regulation of SCAD may play an important role in primary cardiomyocyte apoptosis .Increase in the expression of SCAD may become an impor-tant part in intervening cardiomyocyte apoptosis .

[ABSTRACT]AIM:ToinvestigatethedifferenteffectsofERK1/2/PPARα/SCAD(short-chainacyl-CoAdehy-drogenase) signal pathways on the cardiac hypertrophy induced by insulin-like growth factors 1 ( IGF-1) or phenylephrine ( PE) .METHODS:The neonatal rat cardiomyocytes induced by IGF-1 were used as the model of physiological cardiac hypertrophy , and those induced by PE were used as the model of pathological cardiac hypertrophy .The surface area of the cardiomyocytes, the expression of p-ERK1/2, PPARαand SCAD, the activity of SCAD and the content of free fatty acid in the cardiomyocytes were measured .RESULTS:Compared with the control cells , the surface area of the cardiomyocytes in-duced by IGF-1 and PE were both increased .Compared with the controls , the expression of SCAD and PPARα, and the activity of SCAD in the cardiomyocytes induced by IGF-1 were increased , while the expression of p-ERK1/2 was de-creased.However, the cardiomyocytes treated with PE showed decreased expression of SCAD and PPARα, decreased activ-ity of SCAD and increased expression of p-ERK1/2.Meanwhile, the decrease in free fatty acid in IGF-1-induced cardio-myocytes and the increase in PE-induced cardiomyocytes indicated that the fatty acid utilization was increased in the cardio -myocytes induced by IGF-1, but decreased in the cardiomyocytes induced by PE .CONCLUSION: The changes of p-ERK1/2, PPARαand SCAD in the cardiac hypertrophy induced by IGF-1 or PE indicate that the effects of ERK 1/2/PPARα/SCAD signal pathways are different between physiological cardiac hypertrophy and pathological cardiac hypertro -phy , and that SCAD may be a molecular marker of these 2 different cardiac hypertrophies and a potential therapeutic target for pathological cardiac hypertrophy .

Objective To observe the effect of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) on diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods 179 patients who accepted EECP combined with medication were as group A and the other 190 patients who accepted medication only were as group B. Their visual acuity, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and optical hemodynamics were compared. Results There was significant improvement in group A with visual acuity, FFA and optical hemodynamics (P<0.05), and the incidence of improvement was more in group A than in group B (P<0.05). Conclusion EECP is effective on diabetic retinopathy.

AIM:To investigate the effect of short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase ( SCAD) on collagen expres-sion and proliferation of rat cardiac fibroblasts and to explore the relationship between SCAD and cardiac fibrosis . METHODS:The model of proliferation and collagen expression of rat cardiac fibroblasts induced by angiotensin II was es -tablished.After treatment with siRNA-1186, the expression of SCAD at mRNA and protein levels , fatty acids beta oxida-tion rate, ATP, the enzyme activity of SCAD and free fatty acids in the rat cardiac fibroblasts were determined . RESULTS:The mRNA and protein expression of SCAD was decreased in the rat cardiac fibroblasts induced by angiotensin II compared with the control cells , and the expression of collagen I and collagen III was significantly upregulated .Com-pared with negative control group , SCAD expression and activity , fatty acid beta-oxidation rate and ATP significantly de-creased in siRNA-1186 group, but the content of free fatty acids were obviously increased in the rat cardiac fibroblasts , and the expression of collagen I and collagen III was significantly up-regulated.CONCLUSION:The expression and synthesis disorder of collagen may be triggered by down-regulation of SCAD .SCAD may be a promising therapeutic target for myocar-dial fibrosis .

A 1 270 bp full-length cDNA fragment was obtained from the Schistosoma japonicum (Chinese strain) adult cDNA library after the '3' and 5' ends of the incomplete expression sequence tag (EST) of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase of Schistosoma japonicum (SjHGPRT) were amplified by the anchored PCR with 2 pairs of primer that were designed according to the published incomplete SjHGPRT EST and the sequence of multiclone sites of library λgt1 1 vector. Sequence analysis indicated that this fragment, with an identity of 82% to hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase ofSchistosoma mansoni (SmHGPRT), contained a complete open reading frame(ORF). The deduced amino acid sequence showed 83% identity to that of SmHGPRT. This fragment was cloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pQE30, and subsequently sequenced and expressed in Escherichia coli. SDS-PAGE revealed that M of the recombinant protein was about 28 ku. Western-blot analysis showed that the recombinant protein was recognized by the polyclonal antisera from rabbits immunized with Schistosoma japonicum adult worm antigen. Mice vaccinated with recombinant protein revealed significant worm burden, liver eggs per gram (LEPG), fecal eggs per gram (FEPG) and intrauterine eggs of the female worms reduction percentage, compared with the controls. Taken together, the SjHGPRT full-length cDNA can be cloned and expressed in E. coli as a recombinant protein that elicited immunity against the challenge infection with Schistosoma japonicum, indicating its potential as a partia1 protection vaccine candidate.

A 1 270 bp full-length cDNA fragment was obtained from the Schistosoma japonicum (Chinese strain) adult cDNA library after the 3′ and 5′ ends of the incomplete expression sequence tag (EST) of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase of Schistosoma japonicum (SjHGPRT) were amplified by the anchored PCR with 2 pairs of primer that were designed according to the published incomplete SjHGPRT EST and the sequence of multiclone sites of library ?gt11 vector. Sequence analysis indicated that this fragment, with an identity of 82% to hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase of Schistosoma mansoni (SmHGPRT), contained a complete open reading frame(ORF). The deduced amino acid sequence showed 83% identity to that of SmHGPRT. This fragment was cloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pQE30, and subsequently sequenced and expressed in Escherichia coli. SDS-PAGE revealed that M of the recombinant protein was about 28 ku. Western-blot analysis showed that the recombinant protein was recognized by the polyclonal antisera from rabbits immunized with Schistosoma japonicum adult worm antigen. Mice vaccinated with recombinant protein revealed significant worm burden, liver eggs per gram (LEPG), fecal eggs per gram (FEPG) and intrauterine eggs of the female worms reduction percentage, compared with the controls. Taken together, the SjHGPRT full-length cDNA can be cloned and expressed in E.coli as a recombinant protein that elicited immunity against the challenge infection with Schistosoma japonicum, indicating its potential as a partial protection vaccine candidate.