As a potent collagenase activator,ocriplasmin is a recombinant truncated form of serine protease that retains the protease activity of plasmin.Pre-clinical animal experiments,clinical trials and recent clinical studies all indicated a promising outcome of intravitreal injection of ocriplasmin to treat vitreomacular interface diseases,including vitreomacular adhesion (VMA),vitreomacular traction (VMT) and full-thickness macular hole.Ocriplasmin was approved by the Food and Drug Administration of USA in the management of symptomatic VMA,and by the European Medicines Agency in treating VMT-associated macular hole with less than or equal 400 pm.Further randomized controlled clinical trials are needed for further comprehensive observation and evaluation on its efficiency,safety and other noteworthy issues.

Influenza poses a great threat to life and health in populations worldwide. Studies regarding the protein components of influenza viruses will facilitate the research and development of vaccines and diag nostic reagents. The influenza virus contains both structural and non-structural proteins. From the outset, it has been accepted that an influenza A virus possesses eight gene segments that encode eight corresponding viral proteins, respectively. Research has demonstrated that the M gene encodes the M2 ion channe! protein and the NS gene encodes the non-structural protein, NS2. In recent years, several novel viral proteins have been identified from influenza A viruses. This article will briefly describe the state of current research into PA-related proteins of influenza A viruses.
Animals ; Humans ; Influenza A virus ; enzymology ; genetics ; Influenza, Human ; virology ; RNA Replicase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Viral Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the expression level of tryptase, chymase, IL-4 and IL-10 in guinea pigs died from anaphylactic death caused by penicillin allergy within 48 hours. Methods Guinea pigs were sensitized and elicited by penicilloyl-protein, the blood and tissues were extracted within 48 hours after the death. The expression of tryptase and chymase in tracheas and lungs were detected by the ways of immunohistochemistry, IL-4 and IL-10 levels in serum, tracheas and lungs were detected by ELISA. Results Compared with the control group, the expression of tryptase and chymase has enhanced in lungs and tracheas, the level of IL-4 and IL-10 increased in serum, lungs and tracheas in experimental groups(P<0.05). Conclusion Tryptase, chymase, IL-4 and IL-10 have significant value in the identification of the deaths caused by penicillin allergy.

Dermatitis, Occupational ; Humans ; Male

ObjectiveTo assess the feasibility and efficacy of a docetaxel plus cisplatin regimen for patients of locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)treated concurrently with definitive IMRT in a short-term observation.MethodsRadiation consisted of 7000 cGy given to the planning target volume (PTV) of primary tumor, 6600 cGy given to the PTV of metastatic lymph nodes and 6000 cGy to the PTV of subclinical disease in 220-228 cGy/fraction were delivered over 31-32 treatment days. Thirty-two patients with newly diagnosed NPC received definitive intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT)concurrent with docetaxel 75 mg/m2 on day 1 and DDP 75 mg/m2 on day 1(or DDP 25 mg/m2 on day 1-day 3), repeating every 21 to 28 days for 2 cycles.ResultsAll patients received the full dose of radiotherapy and completed 2 cycles of chemotherapy with a median follow-up of 13 months (2-28 months).No treatment-related death was observed. Major toxicities included hematologic toxicity and mucositis. The incidence rates of grade 3-4 leucopenia,grade 3-4 neutropenia and grade 3 acute mucositis were 46.9 ％ (15/32),59.4 ％ (19/32) and 40.6 ％ (13/32) respectively.The complete remission (CR) rate was 96.9 ％ (31/32).During treatment,90.6 ％ (29/32)patients acquired granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)for leucopenia. The 1-year overall survival, local recurrence-free survival, regional recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival were 100 ％ (31/32),96.9 ％ (31/32),96.9 ％ (31/32),96.9 ％ (31/32),respectively,for the whole cohort.Conclusions2 cycles of the docetaxel plus cisplatin regimen with concurrent IMRT are demonstrated being feasible and effective in treating locally advanced NPC with promising results.The major toxicities are leucopenia and neutropenia, but they are tolerable with the use of G-CSF. Further investigation of long-term efficacy of the regimen is required.

Objective To investigate the effects of gene silencing of Fas-associated death domain (FADD) with synthetic small interfering RNA (siRNA) on apomorphine-induced contralateral rotation,and the expression of Fas and caspase-8 in rat models of parkinsonism. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups:control group,Parkinson' s disease (PD) group,FADD siRNA group,FADD siRNA positive control group and FADD siRNA negative control group. Synthetic FADD siRNA sequences,siRNA positive sequences or siRNA negative sequences were infused into right substantianigra of midbrain using RNA interference and stereotactic techniques before parkinsonian rat model establishment.Apomorphine-induced contralateral rotations of the rats were observed after the injection.The protein and mRNA expression levels of FADD,Fas and caspase-8 were measured by Western blot and RT-PCR.Results In the control group,no rotation was observed after injecting apomorphine; however,in the rest groups,the number of rats respectively was 12 (12/14),3 (3/13),4 (4/15) and 11 ( 11/14 ) in apomorphine-induced contralateral rotation,which had significant statistical differences ( x2 ＝ 18.56,P =0.000).In parkinsonian substantia nigra,marked increases in the protein and mRNA levels of FADD,Fas and caspase-8 were observed,compared with control group.Furthermore,compared with PD group,FADD protein and mRNA levels were strongly suppressed by administration of FADD siRNA in FADD siRNA group. FADD siRNA administration also resulted in great attenuation of 6-hydroxydopamine-induced increases in expression and activation of caspase-8.However,no decrease in expression of Fas was observed in FADD siRNA group and FADD siRNA positive control group,compared with PD group.Conclusion Our results suggest that death receptor signaling pathway plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of PD.FADD siRNA is effective against this pathway and it may,at least in part,provide a potential neuroprotective effect.

Objective To evaluate the effect of prefilling blood reservoir with mannitol-adeninephosphate MAP) solution on the damage to erythrocytes in intraoperative salvaged blood in patients.Methods One hundred and fifty blood samples were collected from 150 patients who were scheduled for elective spinal surgery requiring blood salvage,and were equally and randomly divided into 5 groups (n =30 each) using a random number table:group N,group N1,group N2,group M1 and group M2.The blood reservoir was not prefilled before surgery in group N,while the blood reservoirs in N1,N2,M1 and M2 groups were prefilled with normal saline (NS) 100 ml,NS 200 ml,MAP solution 100 ml and MAP solution 200 ml,respectively.Blood sauples were obtained for erythrocyte osmotic fragility test after the salvaged blood was washed,and hemolysis rates in different concentrations of hypotonic NaCl solution were calculated.The concentration of free hemoglobin in the clear supernatant liquid (FHb) of washed blood placed for 0 h (T0),1 h (T1) and 2 h (T2) were detected.Results Compared with N and N1 groups,the hemolysis rate of washed erythrocytes under 0.48％ 0.68％ NaCl solutions was significantly decreased,the concentration of FHb at T1 was decreased,and no significant change was found in FHb at T2 in group M1.Compared with N and N2 groups,the haemolysis rates of washed erythrocytes under 0.48％-0.68％ NaCl solutions were significantly decreased,and the concentrations of FHb at T1,2 were decreased in group M2.The concentration of FHb was significantly lower at T2 in group M2 than in group M1.Conclusion Prefilling blood reservoir with MAP solution can mitigate the damage to erythrocytes in the intraoperative salvaged blood in patients,and the efficacy of prefilling of 200 ml is superior to that of prefilling of 100 ml.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory skin disease closely related to impairment of skin barrier function.Hereditary factors,life style and exposure to the environment all contribute to the occurrence of AD.Even though AD occurs mostly in infants,sometimes it may initially occur in adults,which is called adult-onset AD (AOAD).There are evident differences in types,immunological mechanisms and association with other diseases between childhood AD and AOAD.The lesional distribution of AOAD is similar to that of childhood AD,while AOAD is characterized by subacute and chronic dermatitis,and mainly manifests as dry hypertrophic lesions rarely complicated with exudation.Th1/Th2 imbalance and hyperfunction of antigen-presenting cells are immunological basis of AD occurrence.Moreover,FLG gene mutations are associated with the occurrence of AD.Acquired expression defect in the FLG gene induced by elevated levels of interleukin-13 (IL-13) only occurs in adults,suggesting that AOAD is different from AD that initially occurs during infancy and continues into adulthood.Infection,changes of bacterial flora in the skin and intestinal tract,and smoking are all important causative factors of AOAD,thus enquiries about histories of related diseases and smoking are helpful for the diagnosis of AOAD.

Objective To develop the knee osteoarthritis (KOA) TCM syndrome evaluation scale. Methods Resrarch team collected subjective symptoms from all kinds of syndrome types of KOA and classified the subjective symptoms, which formed the first version of item pool containing 24 subjective symptoms. Expert questionnaires were conducted to calculate the weight coefficient of items, and formed the item pool of the Knee Osteoarthritis TCM Syndrome Evaluation Scale. According to the patient's attention to the 11 items, the items were weighted.Results The Knee Osteoarthritis TCM Syndrome Evaluation Scale contained 11 items, including pain, swelling and stiffness with different weighted scores.Conclusions The Knee Osteoarthritis TCM Syndrome Evaluation Scale were introduced to assess the KOA outcomes on the basis of TCM syndromes. It showed the characteristic of TCM and TCM syndrome.It could provide an objective and standardized measurement for TCM treating KOA.

OBJECTIVETo observe the distribution of constitution types of Chinese medicine (CM) in patients with osteonecrosis of femoral head (ONFH).

METHODSTotally 130 ONFH patients were recruited. Constitution types of CM were identified in all patients. Distribution features of constitution types of CM in ONFH patients were observed. The differences of distribution in gender, age, single or bilateral hips, course of disease, staging, cause, and region were also analyzed.

RESULTSSeventy patients were of complicated constitutions, while 60 patients were of single constitution. Among the 60 single constitution cases, yang-deficiency constitution [18 (13.9%)], damp-heat constitution [10 (7.7%)], blood-stasis constitution [7 (5.4%)], and qi-deficiency constitution [7 (5.4%)] were mainly distributed. Of the complicated constitutions, yang-deficiency dominated constitution occupied the top ratio [30 (23.1%)], followed by blood-stasis dominated constitution [15 (11.5%)], damp-heat dominated constitution [9 (6.9%)]. By putting them together, yang-deficiency constitution occupied the top constitution of CM [48 (36.9%)], followed by blood-stasis constitution [ 22 (16.9%)] and damp-heat constitution [19 (14.6%)]. The aforesaid three constitutions accounted for 68.5% of the total. There were no statistical distribution differences in gender, age, single or bilateral hips, course of disease, staging, or cause.

CONCLUSIONYang-deficiency constitution, damp-heat constitution, and blood-stasis constitution were liable constitutions of CM in ONFH patients.