Neovascular age-related macular degeneration(nAMD)and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV)are leading causes of blindness and visual impairment in older population.They are both with a hemorrhagic and exudative macular disorder.PCV has been proposed to be a sub-type of nAMD,hut this is a matter of controversy.Although several genes are found to be associated with PCV and nAMD(CFH,ARMS2/HTRA1),but more genes show no common association with the two diseases.such as BF/C2,Elastin,PEDF,SERPlNG1,VEGF,APOE genes.All these Results might imply that PCV and nAMD have different pathogenesis.But in the current state of our knowledge for PCV and nAMD.we still could not conclude if they are the same diseases.The purpose of these review is to discuss the recent progress in the molecular biology of PCV and nAMD.

Esophageal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Humans ; Induction Chemotherapy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Preoperative Period

In order to investigate the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection, the mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infected mice were experimentally studied. 6 to 8 week old female BALB/C mice with immunosuppression were selected to undergo the MCMV inoculations: intracranial inoculation and peritoneal inoculation. MCMV of the infected mice in various organs and tissues were detected by using beta-gal staining and in situ nucleic acid hybridization assay. The pathological changes were observed in HE staining paraffin-embedded sections. It was found that all the MCMV infected mice showed the retardation of growth and development, and feather looseness. Both intracranial inoculation of 10(4) PFU viruses or peritoneal inoculation of 10(6) PFU viruses resulted in the pathological changes, to some extent, of various organs and tissues in the mice. The pathological changes in liver were consistent with the amount of beta-gal staining positive cells, indicating the liver lesions were mainly caused by viral proliferation. It was also found that the viruses in the immunosuppressed mice subjected to intracranial inoculation could spread to whole body organs, while the viruses in the immunosuppressed mice subjected to intrapeitoneal inoculation couldn't spread to the brain, suggesting blood-brain barrier could prevent the virus from spreading to the brain.
Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain/pathology ; Brain/virology ; Disease Models, Animal ; *Herpesviridae Infections/pathology ; *Herpesviridae Infections/virology ; Immunocompromised Host ; Liver/pathology ; Liver/virology ; Lung/pathology ; Lung/virology ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; *Muromegalovirus

Aim: To establish an analytical method to study the chemical components in Zhizi-Gancao-Chi(ZGC) decoction, and investigate its anti-depressant effect. Methods: An LC-PDA-MS/MS method was established and applied. The separation was performed on an ODS C_(18) column (250 mm ×4. 6 mm, 5 μm) with a gradient elu-tion. The mobile phase consisted of water/acetic acid( 1 %, v/v) and methanol. The main components were identi-fied according to the UV and MS. The anti-depressant effect was evaluated with mice tail-suspension test and forced swimming test. Results: The components of the ZGC decoction were separated isolated and ten of them were identified. These compounds are classified to iridoid glycosides, flavonoids and triterpene saponins. In addi-tion, its anti-depressant effect was observed for the first time. Conclusion: The LC-PDA-MS/MS method can ef-fectively separate and identify the components of ZGC decoction, which has significant anti-depressant effect. The relationship between the chemical component and its anti-depressant effect needs further study.

Objective To compare the anthelmintic effect of albendazole with that of triclabendazole against Fasciola giganti-ca. Methods Two patients infected with Fasciola gigantica were investigated,and one was administered with albendazole orally (200 mg,twice per day for 5 days)and another was administered with triclabendazole[10 mg/(kg?d)for 2 days]. Their total fe-ces were collected daily during the period of whole therapy,and the eggs of the parasite were collected by using the nylon bag method,and incubated at 28℃. Results The parasite eggs were detected from the first patient’s dejecta on the 1st,2nd and 5th day after the end of the treatment,and no miracidiums hatched out as well as no eggs developed during the period of 25 days of the incubation. Meanwhile,her body temperature fluctuated between 37.4℃and 38.3℃,and she still complained bellyache. For the other invalid,the eggs were not detected on the 2nd and 5th day after the end of the treatment. However,the eggs before and dur-ing the treatment developed the miracidiums of Fasciola gigantica on the 13th day after the incubation,but the eggs collected from the 1st day after the termination of the therapy did not develop and no miracidiums hatched out. At the same time,the signs and symptoms of the patient vanished after the 4th day of the end of the therapy. Conclusions Albendazole has no obvious insecticid-al activity on adult Fasciola gigantica in the short term,but may affect the development of eggs. Triclabendazole has the anthelmin-tic effect on the adults as well as eggs of Fasciola gigantica. In addition,triclabendazole has the characteristics of well curative ef-fect,short course of treatment,and no obvious side effects.

Objective To examine the relationship between plasma homocysteine level and status of congestive heart failure. Methods Plasma homocysteine level was determined in 106 patients with congestive heart failure(CHF).Among them,40 patients were diagnosed as having recent onset of CHF(group 1) and the remaining 66 were receiving conventional treatment(group 2).Thirty healthy subjects were served as a control group. Results(The plasma) homocysteine levels in group 1,group 2 and the control group were(14.87?5.22),(13.25?5.45) and((7.52)?1.73) ?mol/L,respectively.The plasma homocysteine level was significantly higher in group 1 and group 2 than in the control group(P

Objective This study is undertaken to evaluate the changes of serum cytokine levels in different stages of collagen induced arthritis(CIA)rats,to search for the specific proteins related with rheuma- toid arthritis(RA)pathogenesis and inflammation,and to explore the mechanism of RA pathogenesis.Methods Rat cytokine antibody array coated with 19 specific cytokine antibodies was used to examine serum samples at peak and late stage of CIA rats,and were compared to normal cytokine levels.At the same time,ELISA assay for serum TNF-?production was used to verify the array results.Results Among the target cytokines,10 up- regulating cytokines were kept in high expression in different phases of disease,while 1 showed significant change only at the peak of disease.There was no downregnlating cytokines in the results.Serum TNF-?assay results were consistent to the array results.Conclusion Cytokines show different expression in CIA at differ- ent stages,and specific cytokines can be used as the candidates to further study of the RA pathogenesis.This study also provides molecular makers for early diagnosis.

Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell ; Humans

Objective To investigate the change of the neutrophil apoptosis and neutrophil respiratory burst in the patients and the effect of ulinastatin on the apoptosis of neutrophil and respiratory burst of neutrophil during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods Sixty-two patients undergoing valve replacement with CPB were randomly divided into two groups: ulinastatin group (U group, 31 cases) and control group (C group, 31 cases). In U group patients received ulinastatin after induction of anesthesia. In C group patients received equal volume of normal saline, instead of ulinastatin. Arterial blood was obtained before operation (T1), 30 min after the start of CPB (T2), 30 min after the termination of CPB (T3). The apoptosis of neutrophil and respiratory burst of neutrophil were measured by flow cytometer. The level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured by kit. Results In C group, compared with T1 [(66.57±5.93)%], the rate of the apoptosis of neutrophil was significantly decreased at T2[(55.37±3.51)%] and T3 [(48.92±4.21)%] (P<0.05). And in U group, compared with T1 [(73.57±7.94)%], the rate of the apoptosis of neutrophil was significantly decreased at T2 [(68.34±4.92)% ] and T3 [(62.13±4.76)%] (P<0.05), And it reached to the minimum at T3. The rate of the neutrephil apeptosis was significantly lower in C group than that in U group (P<0.05). The respiratory burst of neutrophil increased significantly after the start of CPB and reached to the peak at T3[C group (1422.50±89.75) MCF,U group (1156.52±93.20) MCF]. The respiratory burst of neutrophil in U group was significandy lower than that in C group at T2 and T3 (P<0.05). The vitality of SOD decreased significantly after the start of operation in the two groups (P<0.05). The level of MDA increased significantly after the start of operation in the two groups, and reached to the peak at T3. The vitality of SOD in C group was significantly lower than that in U group at T3 (P<0.05). The level of MDA in C group was significantly higher than that in U group at T3 (P<0.05). Conclusions The rate of neutrophil apoptosis decreased and the respiratory burst of neutrophil increased during CPB. By improving the apoptosis of neutrophil and reducing the respiratory burst of neutrophil, ulinastatin can inhibit inflammatory reaction during CPB. Meanwhile, ulinastatin can improve the vitality of SOD and reduce the level of MDA. In conclusion, ulinastatin has a significant protective effect during CPB.

Objective To investigate the possible mechanism of glomerular injury in diabetes mellitus by determining whether epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is caused by high glucose in mice podocytes. Methods Using mice glomerular podocyte cell line as an in vitro system, podocytes were incubated with glucose(12.5 mmol/L, 25 mmol/L, 50 mmol/L) and mannitol (50 mmol/L) for 36 hours. Then the cells were collected and expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA), fibronectin (FN), CD2 associated protein (CD2AP) and Wilms' tumor 1 gene (WT-1) was detected by Western blot and indirect immunofluorescence staining. Results Under low glucose (5.6 mmol/L) and mannitol (50 mmol/L) condition, there were high expression of CD2AP and WT-1, and low expression of α-SMA and FN in mice podocytes. After 36 hours treatment with high glucose (12.5 mmol/L), the expression of α-SMA and FN in podocytes was significantly increased, and the expression of α-SMA and FN was further up-regulated with the increase of glucose dosage (25, 50 mmol/L). The indirect immunofluorescence staining revealed the similar result, and the percentage of positive α-SMA cells was also increased compared with low glucose and mannital group (P<0.05). Meanwhile, Western blot showed that high glucose could down-regulate the expressions of CD2AP and WT-1 in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion EMT may be a potential pathway leading to podocyte dysfunction and glomerular injury under high glucose conditions.