Background Plasticity of visual system is one of the mechanisms of deprivation amblyopia.Our previous study showed that synapsin plays a role during visual developmental plasticity,and conventional protein kinase C-γ (cPKC-γ) probably is one of upstream kinases of synapsin.However,whether or how the cPKC-γ plays its effects on visual developmental plasticity is below understood.Objective This study was to investigate the dynamic expression of cPKC-γ in visual cortex of normal mice and explore the effects of abnormal visual experience on cPKC-γ expression.Methods The bilateral visual cortex tissues were obtained from 36 clean C57BL/6 mice at postnatal (P) 7,14,21,28,35,42 days respectively and 6 mice for each for the researching of cPKC-γ dynamical expression in visual cortex over aging.Other 24 C57BL/6 mice were randomized into developmental phase group and adult phase group,12 for each group.The monocular deprived (MD) models were established by suturing the upper and inferior eyelides in P14 mice for 14 days in 6 mice in the developmental phase group and 6 healthy mice served as controls,and MD models were established in the same way in 6 P60 mice in the adult phase group,and the same aged mice (6 mice) were used as controls.The mice were sacrificed and bilateral visual cortexes were obtained.The expression of cPKC-γ protein in the visual cortex was quantitatively detected using Western blot assay.The study protocol was approved by Ethic Committee of Tongren Eye Hospital.The use and care of the experimental mice followed the ARVO Statement.Results The cPKC-γ protein was faintly expressed in visual cortex in normal P7 mice,with the related expressing level of (39.74± 11.22)％ and (40.78± 10.37)％ in the left and right cortex,respectively.The expressing level of cPKC-γ protein was gradually increased over aging,with the peak value of (138.68±15.73)％ and (138.47±23.48)％ in P21 mice.A significant difference was found in the expression of cPKC-γ protein in various ages of mice (Fage =57.174,P =0.000),and the expression of cPKC-γ protein was not significantly different between the left and right visual cortexses (Flateral =0.059,P =0.809).No significant differences were found in the expression of cPKC-γ protein on bilateral visual cortexes among the mice of the developmental phase group and adult phase group (Fage =1.798,P =0.159) or among the MD group and normal control group (Fgroup =0.104,P=0.749).Conclusions The dynamic expression of cPKC-γ in the visual cortex of normal mice presents a consistant tend with the aging and development of visual critical period.MD does not affect the expression of cPKC-γ protein in bilateral visual cortexes.Further researches should be performed in the activity of cPKC-γ protein in MD mice.

Background The treatment timing and method of amblyopia rely on the plasticity of visual system.Synapsin is a family of presynaptic terminal specific protein.Its role in visual developmental plasticity is below understood.Objective To investigate the dynamic expressions of synapsin (T-synapsin),and phosphorylation of synapsin (p-synapsin Ⅰ a/b) in visual cortex of normal mice and further explore the role of synapsin in plasticity of visual system.Methods Forty-two clean neonatal C57BL/6 mice were collected.The mice were sacrificed at postnatal 7,14,21,28,35,42,60 days respectively to obtain the tissue samples of visual cortex.Expression levels of T-synapsin and p-synapsin in the visual cortex following the ageing were quantitatively detected using Western blot assay.Results The expression of synapsin in normal mice showed a dynamic increase with the ageing.The T-synapsin Ⅰ a/b/β-actin value in visual cortex was (21.32 ± 3.27) ％,(56.27 ± 10.18) ％,(77.05 ± 10.05) ％,(83.75±10.52) ％,(94.69±11.46)％,(98.75±5.86) ％ of adults mice (postnatal 60 days,P60) in the mice of postnatal 7,14,21,28,35,42 days,respectively,showing a significant difference among them (F =69.538,P ＜ 0.001).Compared with the adult mice,the T-synapsin Ⅰ a/b/β-actin value in the mice of P7,P14,P21,P28 was significantly lower (all at P＜0.05),but no significant difference was found between P35 and P60,P42 and P60 (P =0.280,0.798).The development trend of different synapsin subtypes,such as T-synapsin Ⅰ a/b,T-synapsin Ⅱ a,T-synapsin Ⅱ b and T-synapsin Ⅲ a,was not quite the same during the ageing.The expression of T-synapsin Ⅱ a and Ⅲ a increasing more slowly with development,and kept increasing until P60.Significant differences were found among various age of mice in T-synapsin Ⅱ a,Ⅱ b,Ⅲa respectively(F =42.492 55.595,39.172,all at P＜0.001).The p-synapsin Ⅰ a/b level in the visual cortex elevated with the ageing of the mice,and that peaked in P21 mice,which was (2.86±0.17) times more than that in adult mice.After that,the expression level of p-synapsin Ⅰ a/b dropped rapidly.A significant difference was found in the p-synapsin Ⅰ a/b expression among different ages of mice (F =22.620,P ＜ 0.001).Conclusions Synapsin level in visual cortex presents a developmental change which correlated with the onset and decline of the critical period.Synapsin is probably involved in the regulation of neural plasticity in visual cortex in critical period.

Objective:To investigate the medical students' cognition of ethical issues in assisted reproductive technology (ART) and discuss the importance of ethical education in medical colleges and universities.Methods:A questionnaire survey about the ethical cognition of assisted reproductive technology was conducted among 632 medical students.The questionnaire included the donation and management of gametes and embryos,and offspring problems.Results:Medical students agreed with most of the current ART-related laws and regulations.however,44.8％ of medical students considered that criteria of donating eggs should be relaxed,such as allowing women who do not receive ART treatment be paid for eggs.In addition,a total of 39.0％ of medical students supported the legalization of surrogacy technology in china.Conclusion:Medical students exists a certain misunderstanding in egg donation and surrogacy technology.We should give more training to medical students in ethical knowledge.In addition,our country can supplement and perfect the current laws and regulations to a certain extent.

Chongqing Medical University selected some five-year clinical medical undergradu-ates to set up the pilot class which was called 'clinician excellent class' and implemented the 'organ-systems-based curriculum' (OSBC) integration teaching reform on them. The OSBC teaching of the cardiovascular system breaks the traditional pattern, and carries on the comprehensive reorganization to the curriculum contents and the teaching personnel, and emphasizes the collective preparation, the new teaching method and the reasonable evaluation system. Although OSBC teaching of the cardiovas-cular system has made some achievements, but there are still many deficiencies need to reflect on and improve.

Objective To evaluate the prognostic value of serial 18F-fluorodeexyglucose (FDG) PET/CT in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Methods Thirty-seven NPC patients who had 18F-FDG PET/CT scan before and after external beam intensity-modulated radiotherapy, were studied retrospectively.All patients were followed for five years.Correlation analysis between metabolic tumor volume (MTV)/uptake volume index (UVI) and survival was performed by Kaplan-Meier analysis, Log-rank test and multivariate Cox model.Results The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 70.3% (26/37) and 62.2% ( 23/37 ), respectively.Patients with a lower MTV (MTV＜30 cm3) had significantly higher 5-year OS ( 82.6% ( 19/23 ) ) and DFS (73.9% ( 17/23 )) rates than those with a higher MTV (OS:50.0% (7/14),x2 =5.28, P＜0.05; DFS:42.9% (6/14),x2 =4.84, P＜0.05).Patients with a lower UV1 (UVI＜150) had significantly higher 5-year OS( 87.5%( 21/24 )) and DFS (79.2% (19/24)) rates than those with a higher UVI (OS:38.5% (5/13),x2 =10.72, P＜0.01;DFS:30.8% (4/13), x2 =11.04, P＜0.01).Multivariate analysis showed that UVI and metabolic response (MR) were independent predictors of DFS.Conclusions Tumor volume parameters, UVI and MR, are independent prognostic factors for patients with NPC.Patients with a high UVI may benefit from more aggressive treatment.

The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture-moxibustion for the treatment of agrypnia was systematically reviewed. The clinical randomized controlled trial (RCT) of acupuncture-moxibustion for agrypnia were collected. The literature and document on acupuncture-moxibustion RCT for the treatment of agrypnia that published from January of 2001 to March of 2012 was searched with computer in PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP database. According to Cochrane Handbook 5. 1. 0, the bias risk and quality assessment were performed on every included trial and RevMan 5. 0 software was applied to make the Meta analysis. Totally 14 researches were included, involving 2662 cases. The Meta analysis showed that the differences of total effective rate between acupuncture-moxibustion and clinical routine treatment were significant [RR = 1.16, 95% CI (1.12, 1.19), Z = 9.32, P < 0.000 01]. The results indicate that total effective rate of acupuncture-moxibustion for agrypnia is obviously superior to that of clinical routine treatment, meaning clinical efficacy of acupuncture-moxibustion is served credit.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Amblyopia ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Moxibustion

The clinical efficacy and safety of auricular acupuncture (AA) for treatment of primary insomnia was evaluated. After a comprehensive retrieval in domestic and foreign databases, literatures were strictly screened and Revman 5.2 software was applied to perform a Meta-analysis on eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The evidence quality was assessed with GRADE profiler 3.6 software. As a result, 8 articles were included involving 894 patients. Compared among AA and sham AA, placebo AA, blank control, there was significant difference in Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) [WMD = -3.48, 95% CI (-3.96, -3.00)], sleep latency LWMD = -10.14, 95% CI (-17.16, -3.12)] and sleep awakening times [WMD = -9.98, 95% CI (-1.10,-0.48)]. Compared between AA and western medication, there was significant difference in PSQI [WMD = -3.62, 95% CI (-4.59, -2.65)]. The evidence quality was moderate in AA vs. sham AA, placebo AA or blank control, while that of the rest was extremely low. No reports of adverse events were described in all studies. In conclusion, for the treatment of primary insomnia, AA could effectively improve sleep quality, but due to the low evidence quality, cautious attitude should be taken on this conclusion, and clinical trials with large sample and high quality were needed in the further.
Acupuncture, Ear ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Sleep ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; physiopathology ; therapy

The aneurysms at the initial segment of splenic artery are rare. This paper aimed to investigate the methods to treat the true aneurysm at the initial segment of splenic artery by aneurysmectomy plus vascular reconstruction. Retrospectively reviewed were 11 cases of true aneurysm at the initial segment of splenic artery who were treated in our hospital from January 2000 to June 2013. All cases were diagnosed by color ultrasonography, computer tomography (CT) and angiography. Upon resection of the aneurysm, the auto-vein transplantation was performed in situ between the hepatic artery and the distal part of the splenic artery in 1 case; the artificial vessel bypass was done between the infra-renal aorta and distal portion of the splenic artery in 7 cases; the splenectomy was done in 2 cases; the splenectomy in combination with ligation of multiple small aneurysms were performed in 1 case. All cases were cured and discharged from the hospital 10-14 days after operation. A 1-14 year follow-up showed that 9 cases survived, and 2 cases died, including 1 case who died of acute myocardial infarction 2 years after aorta-splenic artery bypass operation and 1 case who died of acute cerebral hemorrhage 5 years after aneurysm resection and the splenectomy. Among 6 cases receiving aorta-splenic artery bypass, 1 gradually developed stenosis at anatomosed site, which eventually progressed to complete occlusion 2 years to 6 years after operation, without suffering from splenic infarction because the spleen was supplied by the short gastric vessel and its collaterals. The other 5 cases receiving aorta-splenic artery bypass and 1 case undergoing autologous vascular transplantation did not develop stricture or pseudoaneurysm at the stoma. Our study showed that the aneurysmectomy plus vascular reconstruction is a better treatment for aneurysm at the initial segment of splenic artery.
Aneurysm ; surgery ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Splenic Artery ; surgery ; Survival Analysis ; Treatment Outcome ; Veins ; transplantation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution of GAD67 and the co-localization with bNOS in the main olfactory bulb of GAD67-GFP knock-in mouse.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction was applied to identify the genotype of GAD67-GFP knock-in mouse, the animals were sacrificed and frozen sections of olfactory bulb were prepared. The Nissl-staining was performed to show an framework of the neuron in the olfactory bulb. The distribution of GAD67 and co-localization with bNOS were detected by immunofluorescence technique.

RESULTSThe proportion of GAD67-positive cells among DAPI-positive cells were (42.98 ± 0.92)% in glomerular layer, (23.64 ± 0.84)% in mitral cell layer and (77.75 ± 0.84)% in granule cell layer; the bNOS-positive cells mainly existed in glomerular layer and mitral cell layer, very few in granule cell layer. No co-localization of GAD67 and bNOS in granule cell layer and mitral cell layer was found, but there was dispersed distribution in glomerular layer.

CONCLUSIONGAD67-positive neurons mainly appear in glomerular layer and granule cell layer, and the bNOS is mostly expressed in glomerular layer and mitral cell layer; while the co-localization of GAD67 and bNOS only occurs in glomerular layer of olfactory bulb.

Animals ; Gene Knock-In Techniques ; Glutamate Decarboxylase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I ; metabolism ; Olfactory Bulb ; metabolism ; Tissue Distribution

OBJECTIVETo study the abnormal reactions of a series of free radicals and the oxidative damages induced by free radical abnormal reactions in the bodies of patients with chronic glomerulonephritis.

METHODSEighty chronic glomerulonephritis patients (CGNP) and eighty healthy adult volunteers (HAV) were enrolled in a random control study, in which concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) in plasma, lipoperoxides (LPO) in plasma and in erythrocytes, and vitamin C (VC), vitamin E (VE) and beta-carotene (beta-CAR) in plasma as well as activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in erythrocytes were determined with spectrophotometric assays.

RESULTSCompared with the average values of the above biochemical parameters in the HAV group, the average values of NO in plasma, and LPO in plasma and erythrocytes in the CGNP group were significantly increased (P = 0.0001), while those of VC, VE and beta-CAR in plasma as well as those of SOD, CAT and GPX in erythrocytes in the CGNP group were significantly decreased (P = 0.0001). Pearson product-moment correlation analysis showed that with increase of the concentration of blood creatinine as well as prolongation of the course of disease in the CGNP, the concentrations of NO in plasma, and LPO in plasma and erythrocytes in the CGNP increased gradually, while the concentrations of VC, VE and beta-CAR in plasma as well as the activities of SOD, CAT and GPX in erythrocytes in the CGNP decreased gradually (P = 0.002454-0.000001). The relative risk ratio (RR) of the above biochemical parameters reflecting oxidative damages in the bodies of CGNP ranged from 6.061 to 72.429. The reliability coefficient (alpha) that the above biochemical parameters were used to reflect the oxidative damages of the CGNP was 0.8137, standardized item alpha = 0.9728, Hotelling's T-Squared = 1135680.191, F = 53274.6478, P = 0.000001.

CONCLUSIONSThe findings in this study show that in the bodies of CGNP a series of free radical chain reactions result in severe pathological aggravation and induce oxidative damages in their bodies. Therefore, suitable dose of antioxidants should be supplemented to them so as to alleviate oxidative damages in their bodies.

Adult ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Catalase ; pharmacology ; Chronic Disease ; Erythrocytes ; enzymology ; Female ; Free Radicals ; adverse effects ; Glomerulonephritis ; physiopathology ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxidative Stress ; Superoxide Dismutase ; pharmacology