Objective To measure the normal macular thickness of the healthy people with the optical coherence tomography (OCT), and analyse the difference among the left eye and right eye, male and female, and the different age. Methods The macular thickness of 80 healthy people were measured with OCT and analyzed statistically. Results and Conclusion The thickness of fovea was (173±13) μm, 95% reference value 148～198 μm. The thickness of region 1 mm arround fovea was (193±13) μm, 95% reference value 168～218 μm. There was no significant difference among left and right eye, male and female, and different age. The thickness of inner ring is thicker than that of outer ring. The thickness of nasal is thicker than that of the temporal side.

Objective To investigate the effect of clemastine fumarate on lung ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rabbits.Methods Fifty New Zealand white rabbits of both sexes,weighing 2.0-3.0 kg,were divided into 3 groups using a random number table:sham operation group (Sham group,n =10),I/R group (n =20) and clemastine fumarate group (Cle group,n =20).The model of lung I/R was established by clamping the left hilum of lung and decreasing the tidal volume followed by restoration of perfusion and ventilation 1 h later in I/R and Cle groups.At 3 h of ventilation in group Sham and 2 and 4 h of reperfusion in I/R and Cle groups,blood samples were collected for determination of serum tumor necrosis factoralpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) concentrations by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The left lung was lavaged,and the broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was colleted for determination of white blood cell count.Lung specimens were obtained for microscopic examination of the ultrastructure of lung tissues and for determination of wet/dry weight ratio (W/D ratio),expression of IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA (by real-time polymerase chain reaction) and cell apoptosis (by TUNEL).The apoptosis rate was calculated.Results Compared with Sham group,the W/D ratio,white blood cell count in BALF,serum concentrations of TNF-α and IL-8 and apoptosis rate were significantly increased,and the expression of IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA was up-regulated in I/R and Cle groups (P＜0.05 or 0.01).Compared with I/R group,the W/D ratio,white blood cell count in BALF,serum concentrations of TNF-α and IL-8 and apoptosis rate were significantly decreased,and the expression of IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA was down-regulated in Cle group (P＜0.05 or 0.01).The pathological changes of lung tissues were significantly attenuated in Cle group than in I/R group.Conclusion Clemastine fumarate can attenuate lung I/R injury in rabbits.

Objective To explore the reparative effect of bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein(BPI) on the damaged mucosa of rats with otitis media with effusion (OME),and state the pathogenesis of OME.Methods Wistar rats(40 ears) were randomly divided into six groups:normal control group (n=4),BPI control group(n=4),eustachian tube obstruction (ETO) group (n=8),lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection group (n=8),ETO+LPS group (n=8),ETO+LPS+BPI group (n=8).The experimental OME model was made through eustachian tube obstruction and LPS injection.The rats were killed after 1,2 and 4 weeks and the changes of mucosa of middle ear were observed under light and scanning electron microscope.Results The rats in normal control group and BPI control group had the normal mucosa in the tympanic orifice of the eustachian tube.It consisted of pseudostratified ciliated cubical or columnar epithelium which contained an abundant number of ciliated cells and a few goblet cells,these were the mucociliary clearance system of the middle ear.The hypotympanum consisted of thin,squamous epithelium with few microvillus.Middle ear mucosa was obviouly thickened in LPS injection,ETO and ETO+LPS groups.An increase in goblet cells and a decrease in ciliated cells were observed in the tympanic orifice of the eustachian tube.The epithelial layer in the hypotympanum had become more pseudostratified ciliated cubical epithelium.In ETO+LPS+BPI group,there was thin squamous epithelium in the hypotympanum near normal,which was not thickened and contained few microvillus. Conclusion LPS and ETO can result in the occurrence and protracted courses of OME by mimosa's inflammatory reaction which can reduce the activity of ciliary cells and weaken the function of mucociliary clearance system.BPI could bind avidly to LPS,reduce inflammatory reaction,and break the inflammatory cycle and reestablish an effective mucocillary clearance system.The results suggest that BPI treatment is a potential effective drug for prevention and therapy of chronic OME.

Objective To study the pathological and ultramicrostructural characteristics of organ tissues in relation to the clinical course of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Methods Post-mortem tissue samples of organs (lungs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, pancreas, stomach ) were obtained by needle biopsy from four SARS patients who died in middle and late stages 3-5 weeks after the onset of the disease. The pathological samples were studied by light and electron microscope, immunohistochemistry, histochemistry and indirect immuno-fluorescent antibody test. Results The main pathological features were early interstitial pulmonary fibrosis or organizing pneumonia. Fibroblasts were increased in the interalveoli septa and young connective tissue was found to fill the alveoli. Diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) with alveolar pneumocytes proliferation and an increase in macrophages were found. Desquamative alveolitis also existed at the same time. Squamous metaplasia and syncytial giant cells with multinuclei could be seen. CD3 + and CD20 + lymphocytes were markedly decreased and CD68 + macrophages and S-100 + dendritic cells increased in spleen. Proliferation of bone marrow cells became restrained . Hepatocytes were vacuolated with fatty degeneration. Electron microscopy showed the presence of coronavirus-like particles 80-60nm in diameter enveloped in the cytoplasm of the type Ⅱ pneumocytes, endothelial cells and lymphocytes. Conclusions A novel coronavirus is the cause of the newly recognized severe acute respiratory syndrom (SARS). The main target organs are lung and immune system. Different pulmonary pathological features were found in patients dying from the disease in different stages. All of specimens showed positive reaction of SARS-fluorescence antibody.

Animals ; Calcium ; physiology ; Chloride Channels ; physiology ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; physiology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; physiology ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Forty-eight patients with subclinical Cushing's syndrome(SCS)were evaluated.Eleven of them underwent adrenalectomy(Group 1)and the other 37 cases did not(Group 2).Serum and urine corticosol, plasma ACTH and parameters related to metabolic syndrome(such as waist circumference,blood pressure,blood lipids and fasting plasma glucose)were measured.The data at diagnosis were compared with those during the survey.The results indicated that patients with SCS had a significantly high prevalence of metabolic syndrome.The symptoms and signs of metabolic syndrome could be improved after removing the tumor.Otherwise there is no improvement,some patients will even develop into overt Cushing's syndrome.

Objective:To determine the role of lncRNA TUG1 in pancreatic β cells functioning both in vitro and in vivo.Methods:The lncRNA TUG1 expression in mice pancreas,brain,muscle and other different tissues was examined through qRT-PCR.MTT,flow cytometry,GSIS,ELISA and immunochemistry analyses were performed to detect the effect of lncRNA TUG1 on insulin secretion in vitro and in vivo.Results:lncRNA TUG1 was highly expressed in pancreatic tissue compared with other organ tissues.Knockdown of lncRNA TUG1 expression resulted in decreased insulin secretion in β cells both in vitro and in vivo.Immunochemistry analyses showed decreased relative islet area after treatment with lncRNA TUG1 siRNA.Conclusions:Downregulation of lncRNA TUG1 expression can affect insulin secretion in pancreatic β cells in vitro and in vivo,and lncRNA TUG1 may represent a factor that regulates the function of pancreatic β cells.

Objective To explore the effects of hyperglycemia and oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) on the differentiation of macrophage derived THP-1 monocytes. Methods THP-1 human monocytic leukemia cell line was cultured in vitro, and the differentiation of THP-1 cells into macrophages was induced by phorbol esters. The macrophages were then incubated with the absence of D-glucose and ox-LDL (control group), 30 mmol/L D-glucose (hyperglycemia group), 100 μg/mL ox-LDL (ox-LDL group) or 30 mmol/L D-glucose and 100 μg/mL ox-LDL(G-ox-LDL group) for 24 h. High performance liquid chromatography was used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of intracellular cholesterol and cholesteryl esters. Both light microscope with red oil O staining technique and transmission electron microscope were employed to observe the morphology of treated and control THP-1 cells. Results A large number of intracellular red oil O stained granules and lipid vacuoles were observed in ox-LDL group and G-ox-LDL group, the contents of total cholesterol and cholesteryl esters were significantly higher than those of control group (P<0.05), and the contents of cholesteryl esters were higher than 50% of total cholesterol in both groups. However, only a few intracellular red oil O stained granules and lipid vacuoles were observed in control group and hyperglycemia group, there was no significant difference in the contents of total cholesterol and choleateryl esters between control group and hyperglycemia group (P>0.05), and the contents of cholesteryl esters were less than 50% of total cholesterol in both groups. Conclusion Foam cells form when THP-1 cells are incubated with ox-LDL, while hyperglycemia alone can not convert THP-1 cells to foam cells, indicating that ox-LDL is necessary for the macrophages derived THP-1 monocytes to turn into foam cells.

Objective To study the expressions of TGF-?1 and p21WAF1 in middle ear cholesteatoma and discuses their effects on cholesteatoma.Methods The expressions of TGF-?1 and p21WAF1 were determined by immunohistochemical S-P technology and computer image analysis in 20 specimens of cholesteatoma epithelium and 10 specimens of normal external canal skin.Results ① p21WAF1 and TGF-?1 could be detected in middle ear cholesteatoma and in normal ear canal skin.p21WAF1 was located at karyon,taking on yellow-brown pellet;TGF-?1 was located at cytoplasmic,taking on yellow-brown pellet.②The p21WAF1 positive rate in middle ear cholesteatoma was 65%;and there were almost no positive cells in normal external ear canal skin.p21WAF1 positive cells were detected in each layers,its LI was 28.9%?6.7%.Compared with normal ear canal skin,the expression level of p21WAF1 in middle ear cholesteatoma epithelium was higher than that in normal ear canal skin(P

Objective To identify certain isoforms involved in the onset of retinal ischemic preconditioning (IPC), the effects of ischemic pretreatment (IP) were observed on level of conventional protein kinase C (cPKC) ?,?Ⅰ、?Ⅱand ? isoform-specific membrane translocation and protein expression in retina of rats. Methods Retinal IP was produced by intra-ocular pressure (IOP) elevation for 5 minutes in anesthetized Wistar rats. Sham operation was similar to IP except the pressure elevation. 10, 20, or 40 minutes and 1, 12, 24, 72 or 168 hours after the procedure, cPKC isoform-specific membrane translocation and protein expression were analyzed using Western-blot. Results cPKC? protein expression significantly increased from 12 h to 168 h. A peak reached at 72 h after IP. cPKC? membrane translocation enhanced during 20 min to 1 hours with a peak at 40 min. cPKC? protein expressionlevels significantly increased from 12 hours to 72 hours. A peak was found at 24 hours after IP. However, there were no significant changes in both membrane translocation of cPKC?, ?Ⅰ、?Ⅱand protein expression of cPKC?Ⅰ, ?Ⅱ in retina of rats following IP.Conclusion The enhanced cPKC? membrane translocation, the increased cPKC? and ? protein expressions might be involved in the onset and sustain of retinal IPC in rats respectively.