·Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) are common outer retinal degenerative problems, which are also the predominant causes of most blinding retinal diseases. Retinal prosthesis is a promising solution for such photoreceptor degeneration diseases.Most of current concepts for a retinal prosthesis are based on neuronal electrical stimulation. In the past twenty years, retinal prosthesis has been developed in two different directions: epiretinal prosthesis and subretinal prosthesis. Each prosthesis technique has its advantages and disadvantages. For epiretinal prosthesis, it is easier to be implanted and has the advantage of keeping most of the electronics in the vitreous cavity, off the retinal surface, which greatly helps in dissipating the heat generated by the implant device. In this paper, a brief overview of retinal prostheses concepts is introduced. After that, several important aspects of epiretinal electrical stimulation will be discussed. Moreover, some practical epiretinal prosthesis devices developed by researchers in United States, Germany and Japan in the past have been reviewed. We hope that the devices will be used widely in the near future.

ObjectiveTo investigate influence of sedation and analgesia on stress reaction of post-cardiac surgery in infants with congenital heart disease.MethodsForty children with congenital heart disease were randomly divided into 2 groups after cardiac surgery.The analgesia group was given 0.5-2.0 ?g/(kg?h) fentanyl intravenous infusion in 20 children undergoing cardiovascular surgery.The control group was given 5-8 mg/(kg?dose) lbuprofen orally.Midaiolam 0.01-0.20 mg/(kg?h) was used in 2 groups for sedation by intravenous infusion or 0.05-0.10 mg/(kg?dose)by intravenous push intermittently.The effects and adverse effects of sedation and analgesia were observed on 2,8,24,48 h after surgery in each group.The levels of cortisol,growth hormone,insulin and blood glucose were measured,respectively.ResultsThere were significant differences in Ramsay,Comfort value on 2,8,24 h(Pa

Objective To evaluate the effect of BML-111 on NF-κB pathway during acute lung injury induced by hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation in rats.Methods Thirty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats,weighing 200-250 g,were randomly divided into 4 groups (n =8 each) using a random number table:sham operation group (group S),hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation group (group HSR),BML-111 group,and BML-111 + BOC-2 (lipoxin A4 receptor antagonist) group (group BOC-2).The animals were anesthetized with intraperitoneal pentobarbital sodium.Hemorrhagic shock was induced by blood letting and maintained for 30 min.The animals were then resuscitated for 30 min by infusion of the shed blood and lactated Ringer's solution.In group BOC-2,BOC-2 (50 μg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally before blood letting.In BML-111 and BOC-2 groups,BML-111 (1 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally at the beginning of resuscitation.The rats were sacrificed at 2 h after the end of resuscitation and lungs were removed for determination of pathological changes,myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity,intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression (by immunohistochemistry),tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) content (by ELISA),and NF-κB p65 and IκB-α expression (by Western blot).Results Compared with group S,the MPO activity,ICAM-1 expression,and TNF-α content were significantly increased,NF-κB p65 expression was up-regulated,and IκB-α expression was down-regulated in group HSR.Compared with group.HSR,the MPO activity,ICAM-1 expression,and TNF-α content were significantly decreased,NF-κB p65 expression was down-regulated,IκB-α expression was up-regulated,and pathological changes of lung were attenuated in group BML-111.Compared with group BML-111,the MPO activity,ICAM-1 expression,and TNF-α content were significantly increased,NF-κB p65 expression was up-regulated,and lκ:B-α expression was down-regulated,and pathological changes of lung were aggravated in group BOC-2.Conclusion BML-1 11 inhibits activation of NF-κB pathway and inflammatory responses,thus mitigating acute lung injury induced by hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation in rats.

Aim To explore the protective effects of lithium chloride ( LiCl ) on neurous injuries and phos-phorylation of tau protein at serine262 induced by okada-ic acid( OA) . Methods The neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells were differentiated by all-trans-retinoic acid ( AT-RA) . The differentiated SK-N-SH cells were treated with OA to establish the Alzheimer′s disease cellular model. SK-N-SH cells′ viability and proliferation were measured by SRB test. Giemsa staining was used to observe cell morphology. The neurite length of SK-N-SH cells was measured by Image-Proplus software. Syn-aptophysin and phosphorylated tau protein at serine262 expression levels were tested by Western blot. Results The SK-N-SH cells which were treated with 10 μmol ·L-1 ATRA for 7 days displayed mature neuronal fea-tures. The synaptic length of SK-N-SH cells became longer. And the levels of serine262 phospho-tau was sig-nificantly elevated. 20~100 nmol·L-1 OA effectively inhibited the viability of differentiated SK-N-SH cells in a concentration-dependent manner and in a time-de-pendent manner. The OA treatment induced obvious synaptic atrophy in differentiated SK-N-SH cells. And the phosphorylation level of tau protein serine262 also greatly increased. The pretreatment with 10 mmol · L-1 LiCl significantly ameliorated the synaptic atrophy, the decrease of synaptophysin expression and the in-crease of tau phosphorylation at serine262 induced by OA in differentiated SK-N-SH cells. Conclusion LiCl could effectively inhibit OA-induced synaptic atro-phy in differentiated SK-N-SH cells, and it could also result in the increase of synaptophysin expression and the decrease of the phosphorylation of tau protein at serine262 .

OBJECTIVETo screen the proteins interacting with inhibitor of differentiation 1(Id1) using yeast two-hybrid analysis in adult human lung cDNA libraries.

METHODSThe coding sequence of Id1 was amplified by PCR and cloned into the bait plasmid. The recombinant bait vector pHybLex/Zeo-Id1 was verified by restriction endonuclease digestion before transformation into the yeast strain EGY48/pSH18-34, which was tested subsequently for reporter genes Leu2 and LacZ activation. The pHybLex/Zeo-Id1 plasmid and the cDNA library plasmid were sequentially transformed into the yeast strains and screened to obtain Leu2(+) and Leu2(+)LacZ(+) clones, with the false positive clones excluded using positive and negative controls, and the plasmid of the true positive clone was sequenced and blasted for homological analysis.

RESULTSSuccessful construction of pHybLex/Zeo-Id1 was confirmed by enzyme digestion. After transformation of pHybLex/Zeo-Id1 into EGY48/pSH18-34, no specific reporter genes Leu2 and LacZ activation was found. The pHybLex/Zeo-Id1 plasmid and the cDNA library plasmid were sequentially transformed into yeast strain, and 198 Leu(+) clones and 19 Leu(+)LacZ(+) double positive clones were obtained. After elimination of the false positive clones, one true positive clone was obtained, whose plasmid analysis by sequencing and blasting indicated high homology (99.5%, 556/559) to AGGF1 (an angiogenic factor with G-patch and FHA domains 1). AGGF1 expression was confirmed in the true positive yeast cells by Western blotting.

CONCLUSIONAGGF1 is confirmed to interact with Id1 by yeast two-hybrid analysis for screening adult human lung cDNA libraries.

Adult ; Angiogenic Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Gene Library ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Differentiation Protein 1 ; metabolism ; Lung ; cytology ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Protein Binding ; Two-Hybrid System Techniques

Objective To evaluate the effects of dyclonine gel on the success rate and complication of laryngeal mask airway(LMA)insertion. Methods Eighty ASAⅠ~Ⅱpatients undergoing ureteroscopic lithotripsy under general anesthesia received insertion of LMA coated with either dyclonine gel(group A,n=40)or paraffin oil(group B ,n = 40). Systolic blood pressure(SBP),diastolic blood pressure(DBP)and heart rate(HR)were recorded before anesthesia (T0),after induction (T1),at LMA insertion (T2),and 3 min after LMA insertion (T3). Time and frequency of LMA insertion ,incidence of abnormal sensation of pharynx and sore throat after surgery in 2 groups were recorded. Results Compared with those at T0,the SBP,DBP and HR were lower at T1, T2 and T3 in 2 groups(P<0.05). The one-time success rate of group A and group B were 90%and 97.5%respec-tively(P>0.05).The incidence of abnormal sensation of pharynx and sore throat was significantly lower in group A (5%vs. 20%)(P<0.05). Conclusion Dyclonine gel cream-coated LMA can reduce the incidence of sore throat in patients undergoing ureteroscopic lithotripsy under general anesthesia.

A large amount of evidence has showed that sexually transmitted infection is an important synergistic factor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.Therefore, this paper reviews the current situation of sexually-transmitted diseases (STD) and HIV infection, introduces HIV prevention and intervention measures and problems for STD patients at home and abroad, and proposes that behavior-psychology-society integrated intervention model should be constructed based on the characteristics of STD patients.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the characteristics of atrial tachycardia originating from the atrioventricular cingulum.

METHODThe electrophysiological mechanism, ablation site graph and nerve distribution of 16 cases of atrial tachycardia originating from the atrioventricular cingulum or adjacent atrial muscle which were proved by electrophysiological monitoring and radiofrequency ablation.

RESULTSAtrial tachycardia from peri-cingulum represented 23.2% of atrial tachycardia treated by radiofrequency ablation during the same period. The ratio of left to right atrioventricular cingulum was 3:16. There was no difference of the surface ECG characteristics and electrophysiological mechanism between the atrial tachycardia originating from atrioventricular cingulum and that from other positions. Both A and V components were recorded at all the successful ablation sites. The ratio of amplitude of A to V was between 2:3 and 6:1. Atrial potential in the target site was 20-46 (38.6 +/- 6.7) ms earlier than P'wave in surface ECG. The success rate of ablation was 87.5% and the recurrent rate 7.1%.

CONCLUSIONSPeri-cingulum atrial tachycardia accounts for a certain proportion in all atrial tachycardia. The exciting sites originating from right cingulum are more common than those from left cingulum. Its electrophysiological mechanism has no difference from other positions. Cingulum mapping and ablation have important practical meanings.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Catheter Ablation ; Child ; Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tachycardia, Ectopic Atrial ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the operative method and effect of the reversed sural neurocutaneous flap in repairing soft tissue defects of the anterior foot and the ankle.

METHODSFrom March 1999 to November 2004, 19 cases (17 male, 2 female) of soft tissue defects of the anterior foot and the ankle were repaired with the reversed sural neurocutaneous flaps. The flap sizes range from 18 cm x 9 cm to 30 cm x 18 cm.

RESULTSAll flaps survived well, while 1 flap had distal partial necrosis and healed after dressing change. The follow-up from 6 months to 2 years showed that all flaps were satisfactory.

CONCLUSIONSural neurocutaneous flap is easy to get and to survive. It is an effective method to repair the soft tissue defects of the anterior foot and the ankle.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Ankle ; blood supply ; surgery ; Female ; Foot ; blood supply ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps

A transmitting and receiving system used in high frequency ultrasound imaging is introduced and has been used for image collection of 10MHz, 20MHz and 50MHz HF ultrasonic imaging equipment. Its experimental results show that this transmitting and receiving system is capable of obtaining a better quality of medical images.
Equipment Design ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; Ultrasonography ; instrumentation ; methods