Background The test for visual acuity is the conventional standard for evaluating visual quality.However,there is little correlation between visual acuity and visual disability.Therefore,other clinical observations such as contrast sensitivity or straylight have been used in the clinical assessment of visual quality after cataract surgery.Objective This study was to examine the change in the amount of straylight in cataractous eyes and to evaluate the correlation of the types of cataract with visual quality.Methods A non-randomized case-controlled study was designed.Eighty eyes of 40 patients with age-related cataract were enrolled in this study,including 22 eyes with hard nucleus cataract,19 eyes with cortical cataract,23 eyes with mixed cataract and 16 eyes with posterior subcapsular cataract diagnosed based on the criteria from Lens Opacities Classification System Ⅲ(LOCS Ⅲ).The values for straylight and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were measured with the C-quant straylight meter and Snellen chart,respectively.The differences in the straylight values among the different types of cataract were analyzed,and the correlation of the straylight value with age or BCVA was assessed.Forty eyes of 40 age-matched normal people served as controls.Results Examination was completed in sixty-two eyes of 31 patients in the cataract group at a completion rate of 77.5％,and all the subjects in the control group finished the examination at a rate of 100％.The mean straylight value was (2.06±0.88) log in the cataract group and (1.96±0.42) log in the control group,showing a significant difference between them (t =3.251,P＜0.01).The respective mean C-quant measurements for hard nucleus cataract,cortical cataract,nuclear-cortical cataract and posterior subcapsular cataract patients were (1.96±0.42) log,(1.91 ±0.16) log,(2.05 ±0.19) log and (2.48 ±0.66) log,respectively,with a significant difference among these four groups (F =2.156,P =0.019).The highest straylight value was detected in the posterior subcapsular cataract group.The straylight value was enlarged with the increase of age with a regression equation of Y=0.0010X+ 1.025 in the hard nucleus cataract group (r =0.455,P ＜ 0.05).In addition,the negative linear correlation was found between the straylight value and BCVA in both the hard nucleus cataract group and cortical cataract group (r=-0.590,-0.697,P＜0.01).However,no correlation was found in the mixed cataract group and posterior subcapsular cataract group (r =-0.240,-0.235,P＞0.05).Conclusions The C-quant straylight meter can objectively reflect the visual function for hard nucleus and cortical cataractous eye.Posterior subcapsular cataract produces straylight and exerts a great influence on visual quality due to early glare sensation,so it should be benefit to perform surgery earlier.

Child ; Humans ; Nephrology ; Pediatrics

Acupuncture Points ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bloodletting ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pruritus ; therapy

BackgroundBigbag intraocular lens (IOL),due to its special conducive design to support vitreous and retina after cataract surgery in high myopia,and ensure the visualization of peripheral retinal,is closely concerned.But whether its concave design has the advantage in reducing aberrations on the basis of stability or not is worth to be studied.ObjectiveThis study was to evaluate the high order aberrations(HOA) of phacoemulsification and the Bigbag IOL implantation in patients with myopia and cataract.MethodsA retrospective case-observational study was designed.Total 39 eyes of 39 cases with cataract and high myopia were enrolled in this study.The patients were divided into Bigbag IOL group and AR40e IOL group.Phaco-chop technique and IOL implantation were performed in April to June,2010 in Tianjin Eye Hospital.Two months after surgery,the operated eyes were clinical examined and the aberrations were detected including Root-Mean-Square (RMS),coma,spherical and Trefoil.Postoperative RMS values of HOA components of the whole and interior optic with iTrace were compared.Results The operation was smoothly with the correct IOL position after two months.No complication was found.Under the 4.5 mm pupil diameters,the whole ocular HOA RMS values and coma were significantly different between Bigbag IOL group and AR40e IOL group( t =-3.296 、-3.322,P＜0.05 ),but no significant differences were seen in spherical and Trefoil aberrations ( t =- 1.256、- 0.573,P＞ 0.05 ).Regarding to the interior optic with iTrace aberration,only the coma showed the significant difference between Bigbag IOL group and A R40e IOL group( t =-2.004,P＜0.05 ),and there were no significant differences in RMS,spherical and Trefoil aberrations( t=-1.073、0.380、0.288,P＞0.05 ).ConclusionsThe Bigbag IOL,a design for high myopia,is safe and effective after implant for the high myopia with cataract.It offers more exact obligate degree and better visual quality.The chief total and interior HOA components difference between groups is coma aberration.

Background Traction of epiretinal membrane results in macular morphologic change and visual functional impairment in eye with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (IERM),therefore figuring out their relationship is helpful for evaluation of disease prognosis.Objective This study was to observe the morphological change of macula and microstructure,and analyze the relationship between retina thickness,integrity of cone outer segment tips (COST) line in fovea and visual acuity.Methods This was a retrospective case-observational study.Fifty-six consecutive cases diagnosed as IERM in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center from March 2011 to December 2011 were enrolled in this study,and all the patients showed unilateral IERM with the normal fellow eyes.Sixteen patients were males and 40 were females,with a mean age of (61.05 ± 6.58) years old.Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) examination was performed on the eyes,and Macular Cube (512×128) and HD 5 Line program were selected.Mean retinal thickness of central area (＜1 mm diameter),inner ring area (1-3 mm diameter) and outer ring area (＞3-6 mm diameter) of macula and the status of COST line (intact or fractured) was recorded.Mean thickness of whole macular areas and the difference of foveal microstructure were compared,and the correlation between retinal thickness and visual acuity was analyzed using Pearson linear correlation analysis.Related parameters including age,visual acuity,retinal thickness were also compared between the continuous COST lines group and the fractured COST lines group by independent sample t test.Results The flatted or disappeared fovea was seen in IERM eyes on the SD-OCT image.Retinal thicknesses were (446±89)μm,(418±64)μm and (328±34)ttm in the central area,inner ring area and outer ring area of macula in the IERM eyes,exhibiting significant increasing in comparison with (250±22) μm,(319±17) μm and (279±17) μm in the normal fellow eyes (t=13.370,9.523,7.769,all P =0.000).Significantly negative correlations were found between the visual acuity and the central macular thickness,inner ring thickness or outer ring thickness (r=-0.686,-0.653,-0.417,P＜0.05).In the IERM eyes,COST band was intact in 20 eyes and lack in 36 eyes.Compared with COST band intact group,aging,worse vision and increased retinal thickness were seen in the COST band absent group (t =2.109,P =0.039 ; t =-4.093,P =0.000 ; t =6.669,P=0.000;t=5.376,P=0.000;t=4.247,P=0.000).COST band was clear in all the normal fellow eyes on the SD-OCT image.Conclusions Increase of macular thickness and disruption of COST band reflect the visual function damage in IERM eye.Deficiency of COST band on OCT image seems to be an early indication of photoreceptor damage.Incomplete fovea COST band is often seen in older patients.

Background Lowing intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only effective treating method in glaucoma.Making sure the change of optic disc parameters and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness(RNFLT) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients after IOP reduced can provide objective evidence for evaluating the effect of lowing-IOP on the function of optic nerve.Objective The present study was to evaluate the change of optic disc parameters and RNFLT in POAG patients after trabeculectomy,and analyze the affecting factors of image parameters.Methods A serial case-observational study was adapted.Forty eyes of 39 patients with POAG underwent trabeculectomy were recruited in the study.IOP was examined and perimetry was performed before operation and 2 weeks,1 month,3 months,6 months and 1 year after surgery.Optical parameters and RNFLT were measured using Heidelberg retina tomography (HRT) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in above-mentioned time points.The correlations between lowing-IOP range or disease severity and optical disc parameters or mean RNFLT (mRNFLT) were analyzed by Pearson linear correlation.Results Mean IOP of the 40 eyes was (32.77±8.64) mmHg before operation and (12.45 ±3.65) mmHg,(13.05±3.90) mmHg,(13.42± 3.33) mmHg,(14.22± 2.60) mmHg and (14.74±2.46)mmHg 2 weeks,1 month,3 months,6 months and 1 year after operation,with a significant difference among various time points (F=13.73,P =0.00).However,no significant difference was seen in the mean defect of perimetry among the different time points (F=1.02,P=0.41).The cup area (CA),cup/disc area ratio (C/DAR),cup volume (CV),mean cup depth (MCD),cup shape measurement (CSM),horizontal C/D,vertical C/D,rim area (RA),rim/disc area ratio (R/DAR),height variation contour (HVC),rim volume (RV),mRNFLT,RNFL cross sectional area (RNFLA) were gradually improved after operation in comparison with before operation.One year after operation,RV,CSM,mRNFLT,RNFLA were still increased,but vertical C/D was reduced after operation than that of before (P＜0.05).No significant differences were found in the whole mRNFLT and superior quadrant mRNFLT,inferior quadrant mRNFLT,nasal quadrant mRNFLT and temporal quadrant mRNFLT among before and after operation (F=1.63,P=0.16; F=0.51,P=0.77; F=1.44,P=0.20;F=1.02,P=0.32; F=1.31,P=0.30).Positive correlations were found between lowing-IOP range and the improvement of RV,CSM,vertical C/D (r =0.45,P =0.02; r=0.41,P=0.04; r=0.58,P=0.00),and negative correlations were seen between absolute value of MD and the improvement of RV,CSM 1 year after operation (r=-0.43,P=0.03; r=-0.62,P=0.00).Conclusions Reduction of IOP after trabeculectomy results in the reversal of optic disc parameters.The improvement of the optic disc parameters may be a protective factor for progression of glaucomatous optical nerve damage.

The specific ScFv gene against botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNTa)was cloned into pPIC9k. Positive integrators were screened by increasing the dose of G418 in culture and expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115. As a result, engineered recombinant clone were obtained. 26 kD product of interest was seen easily in SDS-PAGE. Expression of human ScFv got the highest level 15% of total secreted proteins during 72～84 h after 1% methanol inducing. Purification of ScFv was finished by two steps: gel filter and ion exchange. Competing ELISA showed that recombinant ScFv could compete with antiserum to specific bind BoNTa.

At present, majority of the small molecular drugs used in clinics target proteins, they exert the efficacy through the binding to specific sites on the target protein. However, the "druggable" protein targets account for a small portion of the total number of proteins, and "non-druggable" proteins account for 80%, because of not having suitable drug binding sites. In the central rule, RNA is located in the upstream of proteins and controls the transcription of proteins. The research of small molecule drugs targeting RNA can solve the problem of protein "undruggable proteins" in some extent. This review summarizes the representative research achievements of small molecular drugs targeting RNA in recent years, and the screening methods applied to this field, with the focuses on the latest progress of small molecular drugs targeting novel coronavirus RNA.

OBJECTIVETo explore the difference in the efficacy and effect mechanism of subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD) complicated with depression between acupuncture and medication.

METHODSSixty patients were randomized-into an acupuncture group and a medication group, 30 cases in each one. In the acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied to Baihui (GV 20), Shuigou (GV 26), Fengfu (GV 16), Fengchi (GB 20) and the others, once a day, 6 times a week. The treatment of 4 weeks made one session and totally 2 sessions were required. In the medication group, nimodipine 30 mg, three times a day and fluoxetine 20 mg, once a day were prescribed for oral administration, for 8 weeks totally. Before treatment, at the end of the 4th week and at the end of the 8th week of treatment, cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) and solubility CD40 ligand (sCD40L) were determined respectively. The scores in Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) and Hamilton' s depression scale (HAMD) were evaluated in the two groups. The efficacies on cognitive function and depression symptoms were compared in the patients between the two groups. Results Compared with the outcome before treatment, mean blood flow velocity (Vm) of middle cerebral artery (MCA), anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and posterior cerebral artery (PCA) was increased significantly at the end of the 4th week of treatment in the two groups (all P<0.05). At the end of the 8th week, Vm was increased much significantly (all P<0.01). The differences were not significant in comparison between the two groups (all P>0.05). Compared with the expression before treatment, sCD40L was reduced significantly after treatment in the patients of the two groups (all P<0.01), but the differ- ence was not significant between the two groups (all P>0.05). Compared with that before treatment, MoCA score was increased significantly after treatment in the two groups (all P<0.01), HAMD score was reduced sig- nificantly (all P<0.01), the differences were not significant in comparison between the two groups (all P>0.05). The total effective rate of cognitive improvement was 86.7% (26/30) in the acupuncture group and was 80.0% (24/30) in the medication group, the differences were not significant in comparison of the two groups (P>0.05). The total effective rate of the improvement in depression was 93.3% (21/30) in the acupuncture group and was 86.7% (26/30) in the medication group, the differences were not significant in comparison of the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture could significantly increases CBFV and reduces serum sCD40L expressions in the patients of SIVD complicated with depression, and significantly improves cognitive function and relieves depression symptoms. The efficacy of it is similar to that of western medication. The increase of serum sCD40L expression is possibly involved in the occurrence and development of SIVD. Reducing sCD40L expression contributes to the alleviation of damage induced by cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Cerebral Infarction ; complications ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Depression ; drug therapy ; etiology ; therapy ; Female ; Fluoxetine ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nimodipine ; administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of oxidative stress on ventricular arrhythmias in rabbits with adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy and the relationship between oxidative stress and ventricular arrhythmia. Forty Japanese white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (n=10 in each): control group, metoprolol (a selective β1 receptor blocker) group, carvedilol (a nonselective β blocker/α-1 blocker) group and adriamycin group. Models of adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy were established by intravenously injecting adriamycin hydrochloride (1 mg/kg) to rabbits via the auri-edge vein twice a week for 8 weeks in the adriamycin, metoprolol and carvedilol groups. Rabbits in the control group were given equal volume of saline through the auri-edge vein. Rabbits in the metoprolol and carvedilol groups were then intragastrically administrated metoprolol (5 mg/kg/d) and carvedilol (5 mg/kg/d) respectively for 2 months, while those in the adriamycin and control groups were treated with equal volume of saline in the same manner as in the metroprolol and carvedilol groups. Left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDd) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured by echocardiography. Plasma levels of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), malondialdehyde (MAD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected. The left ventricular wedge preparations were perfused with Tyrode's solution. The transmural electrocardiogram, transmural action potentials from epicardium (Epi) and endocardium (Endo), transmural repolarization dispersion (TDR) were recorded, and the incidences of triggered activity and ventricular arrhythmias were obtained at rapid cycle lengths. The results showed that TDR and the serum MDA and NT-proBNP levels were increased, and LVEF and the serum SOD level decreased in the adriamycin group compared with the control group. The incidences of triggered activity and ventricular arrhythmia were significantly higher in the adriamycin group than those in the control group (P<0.05). In the carvedilol group as compared with the adriamycin group, the serum SOD level and the LVEF were substantially increased; the TDR, and the serum MDA and NT-proBNP levels were significantly decreased; the incidences of triggered activity and ventricular arrhythmia were obviously reduced (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the levels of MDA and SOD, LVEF, TDR and the incidences of triggered activity and ventricular arrhythmia between the adriamycin group and the metoprolol group. It was concluded that carvedilol may inhibit triggered activity and ventricular arrhythmias in rabbit with adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy, which is related to the decrease in oxygen free radials.