AlM: To evaluate the clinical effect of 200g/L protein-free calf blood extract eye gel for corneal epithelial defect.METHODS: One hundred and sixty - eight cases of corneal epithelial defect ( 58 cases with herpes simplex keratitis; 24 cases with chemical injury; 85 cases with pterygium operation injury ) were randomly divided into two groups: 84 eyes were treated with protein-free calf blood extract eye gel; 84 cases were treated with basic fibroblast growth factor eye gel ( bFGF ) . The bFGF and protein-free calf blood extract eye gels were used 4 times a day. The treatment course was 7d. Epithelial defect restoration, local symptom and sign were observed.
RESULTS: The difference between pre-treatment and post-treatment was significant ( P<0. 01 ) in the two groups. The effect of protein-free calf blood extract eye gel (83. 3%) group was prior to that of bFGF (69%) for corneal epithelial defect. The effective rate of protein-free calf blood extract eye gel in the herpes simplex keratitis, chemical injury and pterygium operation injury was 72. 4%,69. 2% and 95. 2%. Localized stimulus and adverse reaction of all over the body were not been observed.
CONCLUSlON: Protein-free calf blood extract eye gels is valuable and safe for corneal epithelial defect.

Objective　To investigate the significance of TGF-β1, TGFRl and TGFR2 in the pathogenesis and prognosis in patients with myelofibrosis. Methods　The expression of TGF-β1 and its receptors (TGFR1 and TGFR2 ) in bone marrow tissues and the level of TGF-β1 in the blood of 23 patients with myelofibrosis were detected by SABC immunocytochemistry and ELISA repectively. Results　Expression of TGF-β1 and TGFR 1 was significantly higher in primary and secondary myelofibrosis patients than that of the control. No significant difference of TGFR2 expression was found between the groups of myelofibrosis and the control (P>0.05). The level of TGF-β1 in the blood of the patients with myelofibrosis was significantly higher than that of the control (P<0.01) and more obvious in secondary cases while TGF-β1 decreased nearly to the normal level when patients were in clinical remission. Conclusion　TGF-β1 and it's receptors may be involved in the pathogenesis of myelofibrosis and might be of importance for the prognosis of the patients with myelofibrosis.

AIM: To understand the relation between the penetrating keratoplasty rejection and the methods of cornea preservation.
METHODS: The 30 Wistar rats as donator and 60 SD rats as receptor were used to establish the animal models of penetrating keratoplasty rejection. And 60 SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. Donor cornea of Wistar rats preserved in different methods were used separately in 3 groups. The penetrating keratoplasty rejection index ( RI ) , means survival time ( MST ) of corneal grafts and pathological changes in post -operation were analyzed.
RESULTS: The MST was ( 10. 4±1. 70 ) d in moist-chamber- preserved group (Ⅰ), ( 12. 9 ± 1. 81 ) d in medium-term-preserved group (II) and (16. 1±2. 57) d in cryopreserved group ( Ⅲ) . The MST in the cryopreserved group was evidently prolonged, showing a significant correlation compared with other two groups (P<0. 01). The sections with HE staining revealed that the severity of inflammation in Ⅲ group was reduced compared with that of Ⅰ, II group after 10d of keratoplasty.
CONCLUSION: The postoperative rejection of penetrating keratoplasty in rats is decreased and rejection time is delayed in cryopreserved cornea.

In order to obtain an efficient screening procedure for identification of succinate producing anaerobic strains,a semi-quantitative paper chromatography method was developed. Lactic acid and acetic acid were identified as the main byproducts in the process of succinate production by the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).Succinic acid was completely separated from the byproducts of lactic acid and acetic acid in the same broth developed by paper chromatography.The content of succinic acid was calculated by a semi-quantitative method.The results showed that paper chromatography was a simple and cost effective method that could be utilized to screen anaerobic strains producing succinic acid.

Objective To study clinical significance of anti-momoner C-reactive protein (anti- mCRP) antibody in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and assess the relationship between serum CRP and anti-mCRP antibody.Methods Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to determine serum level of anti-mCRP antibody in 113 pateints with SLE,65 patients with other rheumatic diseases,including primary Sjgren syndrome,rheumatoid arthritis,osteoarthritis,ankylosing spondylitis and systemic sclerosis,and 32 healthy controls.Serum level of CRP was evaluated by turbidimetry.Clinical manifestations and laboratory indicators of the patients were all recorded.Results Serum level of anti- mCRP antibody in SLE patients was significantly higher than that in patients with other rheumatic diseases and healthy controls,respectively (t=2.502 and 5.352,respectively,P 0.05).Titer of anti-mCRP antibody closely correlated with systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index score (r=0.248,P0.05). Conclusions Level of Anti-mCRP antibody increased significantly in patients with SLE,which associated with disease activity of SLE and can be used as a valuable marker in evaluating activity of SLE.

In this study, the regulatory effects of chlorogenic acid (CGA) on the expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), as well as the role of interferon γ (IFN-γ), has been discussed using both in vitro and in vivo animal models. ESCC murine model was established according to the standard operating procedures (SOP) of Animal Experiment Center of Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. The expression of PD-L1 in esophageal tissues of murine models was analyzed using the microarray assay. Then, the results were verified by qRT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, the molecular mechanism was explored in KYSE180 and KYSE510 ESCC cells in vitro. The results showed that CGA could suppress the expression of PD-L1 in tumor tissues in murine models significantly, rather than the expression in KYSE180 and KYSE510 ESCC cells in vitro. However, after the pretreatment of IFN-γ, the expression of PD-L1 was significantly increased, then it was down-regulated by CGA in both dose- and time-dependent manner. Meanwhile, the expression of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1), an upstream regulatory factor of PD-L1, was suppressed by CGA in both KYSE180 and KYSE510 pretreated with IFN-γ, which was consistent with the expression of PD-L1. These results indicate that CGA down-regulates the expression of PD-L1 in ESCC via IFN-γ-IRF1 signaling pathway, providing the molecular theoretical basis for exploration of new treatment of ESCC.

Objective To investigate the association of angiotensinogen(AGT)gene A-6G、T174M and G-217A polymorphisms with the risk of essential hypertension(EH)in the elderly of Han nationality.Methods Genotypes of AGT gene A-6G,T174M and G-217A polymorphisms in 177 aged EH patients and 86 sex and age-matched controls were analyzed with gene chip technology.Results The A-6G and T174M polymorphisms of AGT gene were significantly associated with EH.The numbers of the three genotypes of A-6G were 113,58 and 6 in the patient group and 70,15 and 1 in the control group(P= 0.014)and those of T174M were 94,77 and 6,60,25 and 1(P=0.031),respectively.G-217A polymorphism was not related to EH.Individuals carrying A-6G AA and T174M CC genotypes showed 57% and 56% lower risk of EH(OR=0.43;95%CI=0.23-0.82 and OR=0.44;95%CI=0.25-0.79, respectively).Conclusions The A-6G AA and the T174M CC genotype may be related with decreased risk of EH and G-217A polymorphism may have little role in the etiology of EH in Han nationality.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of different doses of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on the erectile function of male rats and the mechanism of smoking-induced erectile dysfunction (ED).

METHODSA total of 75 healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into Groups A (control), B (dimethyl sulphoxide [DMSO]), C (low-dose CSE), D (medium-dose CSE) and E (high-dose CSE). CSE models were established in male SD rats by hypodermic injection, and 60 days later observed for penile erection following subcutaneous injection of apomorphine. Then the rats were killed and the penile cavernous body obtained for the examination of NOS activity by chromatometry and the determination of Cx43 expression by laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy (LCSM).

RESULTSCompared with the control and DMSO groups, penile erection frequency, NOS activity and Cx43 expression in the penile cavernous tissue were significantly decreased in the CSE groups (P < 0.05), and the decrease was proportional to the increase of the doses of CSE. No statistically significant differences were observed between the control and DMSO groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCigarette smoke obviously reduces NOS activity and Cx43 expression in the penile cavernous tissue and seriously affects penile erection. The higher the dose, the more serious the influence. The decreases of NOS activity and Cx43 expression may be an important mechanism of ED.

Animals ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Male ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Penile Erection ; Penis ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Smoke ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; Tobacco ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether Hantavirus (HV) and Orientia tsutsugamushi ( OT) can naturally infect and coexist in their host and role.

METHODSBy field epidemiological study, Leptotrombidium scutellare (3829) was collected and separated from mice(166) in epidemic areas. The cells of mites separated from their host and role were cultured. PCR was used to detect HV-RNA and OT-DNA in the cell culture.

RESULTSIn 105 Apodemus agrarius, 3 HV-RNA positive, 2 OT-DNA positive and 2 coinfection with HV and OT were detected;in 41 Brown rattus, 2 HV-RNA positive, 1 OT-DNA positive and 1 co-infection with HV and OT were detected. From 15 mites co-infected with HV and OT, 2 strains of HV pathogen, 2 strains of OT pathogen were separated and 1 HV and OT pathogen in the same mite were separate.

CONCLUSIONThe study demonstrates that co-infection of HV and OT did simultaneously exist in wild Leptotrombidium scutellare. This theory has some significance to the epidemic and precaution of HV and OT.

Animals ; Disease Vectors ; Hantavirus ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; epidemiology ; Host-Parasite Interactions ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Rats ; Scrub Typhus ; epidemiology ; Trombiculidae ; microbiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether desferoxamine (DFO) preconditioning can induce tolerance against cerebral ischemia and its effect on the expression of hypoxia inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and erythropoietin (EPO) in vivo and in vitro.

METHODSRat model of cerebral ischemia was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion with or without DFO administration. Infarct size was examined by TTC staining, and the neurological severity score was evaluated according to published method. Cortical neurons were cultured under ischemia stress which was mimicked by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), and the neuron damage was assessed by MTT assay. Immunofluorescent staining was employed to detect the expressions of HIF-1alpha and EPO.

RESULTSThe protective effect induced by DFO (decreasing the infarction volume and ameliorating the neurological function) appeared at 2 d after administration of DFO (post-DFO), lasted until 7 d and disappeared at 14 d (P < 0.05); the most effective action was observed at 3 d post-DFO. DFO induced tolerance of cultured neurons against OGD: neuronal viability was increased 23%, 34%, 40%, 48% and 56% at 8 h, 12 h, 24 h, 36 h, and 48 h, respectively, post-DFO (P < 0.05). Immunofluorescent staining found that HIF-1alpha and EPO were upregulated in the neurons of rat brain at 3 d and 7 d post-DFO; increase of HIF-1alpha and EPO appeared in cultured cortex neurons at 36 h and 48 h post-DFO.

CONCLUSIONDFO induced tolerance against focal cerebral ischemia in rats, and exerted protective effect on OGD cultured cortical neurons. DFO significant induced the expression of HIF-1alpha and EPO both in vivo and in vitro. DFO preconditioning can protect against cerebral ischemia, which may be associated with the synthesis of HIF-1alpha and EPO.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Cells, Cultured ; Cerebral Infarction ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Deferoxamine ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Erythropoietin ; metabolism ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Iron ; metabolism ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; methods ; Nerve Degeneration ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Siderophores ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Up-Regulation ; drug effects ; physiology