Objective To evaluate the clinical effects of surgical treatment for diabetic retinopathy(DR)with diffuse diabetic retinal edema(DDRE)and massive subretinal hard exudates(MSHE)by vitrectomy,endolaser retinal photocoagulation and long acting gas tamponade via analyzing the long term results.Methods Thirty eyes of twenty five patients with DR with DDRE and MSHE were recruited from October 2001 to December 2006.Among them,17 eyes belonged to 14 male patients and 13 eyes of 11 females.The patients' age was from 36 to 68 years(mean 54.6).The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA),color fundus photography,fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA)and optic coherence tomography(OCT)were performed preoperatively.Pars plana vitrectomy,posterior hyaloid removal,endolaser photocoagulation and long acting gas tamponade were used to treat the affected eyes.Results Preoperative BCVA was finger counting to 0.05 in all the 30 eyes.During 12-23 months of follow up period,2 eyes showed no change in BCVA,vision improvement was observed in 28 eyes(93.3%)with BCVA rising to 0.03-0.04 in 3 eyes,≥0.09 in 25 eyes,and among them the BCVA rose from 0.04 to 1.0 in one eye.The macular retina thickness thinned from preoperative ≥450?m to postoperative 160 220?m,intra-retinal and pre-retinal hemorrhage as well as MSHE was absorbed markedly or completely.Visual acuity decreased in 7 eyes(23.3%)during 24-42 months of follow up,anterior ischemic opticneuropathy occurred in 3 eyes(10%),macular edema recurred in 4 eyes(sub-macular hard exudates appeared in 2 eyes),and macular thickness measured 310-410?m.Scars in sub-fovea and peri-fovea sub-retina were noted in 5 eyes,in which the visual acuity was improved from finger counting to 0.04.Conclusion Vitrectomy,including posterior hyaloid removal,endolaser retinal photocoagulation and long acting gas tamponade may offer satisfactory effects in the treatment for DR complicated with DDME and MSHE.

Objective To analyze clinicopathologic features and treatment strategy of postsurgical incidental papillary thyroid microcarcinoma(PTMC).Methods A total of 305 patients undergoing surgery for thyroid diseases from Apr.2012 to Mar.2013 were retrospectively analyzed.Results Among the 305 patients,19 patients(18 females and 1 male)showed PTMC incidentally after surgery.The mean age was (43.2 ± 12.8)years (ranging from 23 to 67 years old).All patients underwent subtotal thyroidectomy,including 17 endoscopic surgery and 2 open surgery.All frozen sections were benign during operation while pathologic results were PTMC after surgery.The average size of tumors was(2.2 ± 1.5) mm which all was unicentric with no lymph node enlargement intraoperatively.Immunohistochemistry showed that the positive rate of cytokeratin 19,galectin-3,mesothelial cell,and CD56 was 87.5％,43.8％,81.3％ and 18.8％,respectively.There were 4 cases of B-raf V600E mutation found in 6 patients.All patients discharged 1 to 3 days after surgical treatment with no complication and received levothyroxine therapy with a suppressive dose of thyrotropin(TSH).131I therapy was not given.Conclusions PTMC is found more common in female and younger age under 45 years.Tumor is usually unicentric and less than 5 mm.Lymph node metastasis is rare.Immunohistochemistry and B-raf V600E mutant test can help the diagnosis.Initial endoscopic subtotal thyroidectomy is effective.There is no need of further surgery and 131I therapy.

Objective To evaluate anti-HEV IgG and IgM diagnostic kits with sera from convalescent hepatitis E patients and to establish the quantification method of detecting anti-HEV lgG.Methods Detect 42 convalescent serum samples of over 6 months after onset of hepatitis E patients from Jiangsu province with anti-HEV IgM and IgG diagnostic kits. Select and mix the anti-HEV IgG positive sera which were confirmed by Western blot with ORF2 and ORF3 antigen. The mixed serum was calibrated with a WHO anti-HEV Ig standard. A series quantitative linear standard was made for quantitative detection of anti-HEV IgG in hepatitis E vaccine clinical trials phase Ⅲ. Results The positive rates of the anti-HEV IgG di-agnose kits of G, K, MP, Wantai were 71.4%, 78.6%, 92.9% and 100% respectively. The positive rates of G was lower than that of MP (χ~2 = 5.19, P<0.05) and obviously lower than Wantai (χ~2 = 11.76,P<0.01). The positive rates of K was also obviously lower than that of Wantai (χ~2 =7.96, P <0.01).The positive rates of the anti-HEV IgM diagnose kits of MP, G, X, Wantai, K were 21.4%, 7.1%,21.4%, 64.3%, 78.6% respectively. The positive rate of both K and Wantai were obviously higher than that of MP(χ~2 = 15.75 ,P<0.01 ; X2 = 27.43 ,P< 0.01). With the Western blot confirmation test, 30 and 18 sera were reactive to ORF2 and ORF3 antigen separately. The anti-HEV IgG concentration of HEV-D01 mixed by 13 samples was 57.94 U/ml by the calibration. Prepare seven 1.5-fold dilution series of quantita-tive linear standard for HEV vaccine clinical trials phase Ⅲ, concentration range from 0.077 to 0.877 U/ml. The quantitive values of high, medium and low concentrations quality control samples lay in the range of average ± 2s, and the CV of quantitative values were 16%, 16%, 12% respectively. Conclusion The quality of different anti-HEY IgM and IgG diagnose kits were different. This study had set up a set of anti-HEV IgG linear quantitative standard, which fit for detecting anti-HEV IgG antibodies quantitatively in HEVvaccine clinical trial phase Ⅲ.

Objective To investigate the effects of heat-inactivated Cryptococcus neoformans(H-CN)on an experimental murine model of meningoencephalitis and on IL-1?,IFN-?and TNF-?gene ex-pression on the brain and spleen.Methods An experimental murine model of intracerebral infection with C.neoformans was established.Mice were divided into H-CN-treated group and control group.The brain and spleen of two groups were collected to obtain total RNA,and IL-1?,IFN-?and TNF-?were detected by RT-PCR method.After intracerebral challenging with lethal doses of C.neoformans,the survival time and colony forming units(cfu)of C.neoformans in the brain of two group were observed.Results The survival time was prolonged,and cfu of C.neoformans were decreased in the brain of H-CN-treated group in com-parison with those of control group.Expression of IL-1?was positive,and IFN-?and TNF-?negative in the brain tissue of H-CN-treated mice;while expression of IL-1?,IFN-?and TNF-?was all negative in the control mice,as indicated by RT-PCR.Expression of3cytokines,IL-1?,IFN-?and TNF-?was all positive in the spleen tissue of both groups,suggesting that there was no significant difference in the levels of cytokine gene transcripts in both groups.Conclusion These findings suggest that murine resistance to central nervous system infection of C.neoformans be enhanced by intracerebral administration of H-CN,and anti-cryptococcal mechanism probably involves a local cytokine IL-1?elicitated by H-CN in central nerve system.

OBJECTIVE Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor(IMT) is a rare lesion of unknown etiology which was first described in the lung. The clinical and pathologic characteristics,treatment, prognosis of IMT in head and neck were discussed. METHODS The clinical data of 4 cases of IMT were analyzed retrospectively. The specimens of the 4 cases were prepared for immunohistochemical staining and light microscopy. RESULTS The patients included 3 males and 1 female. Their age ranged from 32 to 58 years. The tumors located at the true vocal cord in 2 cases, at the nasal cavity and maxillary sinus in 1 case, at the maxillary sinus in 1 case. Histological examination was found that the tumors consisted of spindle cells,chronic inflammatory cells and myxoid background with delicate vasculature. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that the SMActin and Vimentin were expressed positively in the tumor. The patients were followed up for 9 to 21 months after operation. Three patients were alive with no evidence of diseases, one patients recurred at 4 months after operation and were alive with IMT. CONCLUSION IMT is a true neoplasm with a potential of local recurrence. The main treatment of IMT is to resect the lesions thoroughly.

OBJECTIVETo further verify the efficacy and safety of locally manufactured lamivudine on patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODS2200 patients with CHB were recruited and received lamivudine orally 100 mg once daily for 12 months. The efficacy assessments included virologic response rate (defined by the absence of serum HBV DNA, HBeAg loss and HBeAg/HBeAb seroconversion), percentage of patients with normalization of alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Meanwhile improvement of quality of life (QOL) measured by mos SF-36 QOL questionnaire and liver histology evaluation were conducted in some patients. The safety assessments included adverse events, serious adverse events and laboratory abnormalities. All 2200 patients received at least one dose of medication and were all included in the safety population.

RESULTSNinety seven percent of patients (2137/2200) recruited were HBV DNA positive by dot blot (sensitivity GRT or equal to 1.0 pg/ml) at baseline. At the end of 12 months treatment, HBV DNA was undetectable in 80% patients (1538/1920) with HBV DNA positive before treatment. Among the 79%(1744/2200) of the patients recruited had positive HBV DNA accompanied abnormal ALT levels at baseline, 72% patients became ALT normal. And among the 84% (1843/2200) of the patients recruited were HBV DNA and HBeAg positive, anti-HBe negative, 16% (269/1650) patients achieved HBeAg/HBeAb seroconversion after 12 months of lamivudine treatment. The HBeAg/HBeAb seroconversion rate was positive correlation to the ALT level before treatment. A total of 304 patients completed the health-related QOL questionnaire. After 12 months treatment, lamivudine improved both their physical and mental health, especially for their mental health. 133 evaluable, paired liver biopsies were obtained for histological assessment, among whom 115 patients had abnormal ALT levels at baseline. Compared with pre-treatment most of their liver injury got alleviated (51.9%) or no further deterioration (36%), only 12% worsening. During the 12 months treatment, 9% patients withdrew from the study and 17% patients showed at least one adverse event, mild or moderate. There were no obvious difference between this study and the previously reported lamivudine Phase II or III study with regard to the kinds, incidence and severity of adverse events.

CONCLUSIONThe efficacy and safety profile of the locally manufactured lamivudine 100 mg tablets are similar with those of the previously reported available lamivudine tablets imported in treating Chinese chronic hepatitis B patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Child ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; psychology ; virology ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Liver ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life

DNA barcoding is a rapidly developing frontier technology in the world and will be useful in promoting the quality control and standardization of traditional Chinese medicine. Until now, many studies concerning DNA barcoding have focused on leaf samples but rarely on Chinese herbal medicine. There are three issues involved in DNA barcoding for traditional Chinese medicinal materials: (1) the extraction methods for total DNA of the rhizomes of the medicinal materials; (2) intra-specific variation among samples from different places of origin; (3) accuracy and stability of this method. In this study, Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix was used to verify the stability and accuracy of DNA barcoding technology. Five regions (ITS2, psbA-trnH, matK, rbcL, and ITS) were tested for their ability to identify 86 samples of Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix and their adulterants. After improving the DNA extraction method, genomic DNA from all samples was successfully obtained. To evaluate each barcode's utility for species authentication, PCR amplification efficiency, genetic divergence, and species authentication were assessed. Among all tested regions only ITS2 locus showed 100% of PCR amplification and identification efficiencies. Based on the established method, we successfully identified two samples of Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix bought in pharmacy to the original species.

Objective To investigate the early diagnostic value of plasma D-dimer level in acute aortic dissection (AAD) . Method A total of 80 patients with chest pain were enrolled from January 2006 to March 2009, and 40 patients of them were confirmed to be AAD with computerized tomographic angiography (CTA), and these patients were matched with 40 controls presenting suspected dissection, which were ruled out later. The D-dimer test was performed in all patients within 12 hours after onset of chest pain,and plasma D-dimer concentrations were compared between two groups. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of D-dimer used for diagnosing AAD were analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was also established. The statistical analysis of data was carried out by using Mann-Whitney test with SPSS 11.5 software. Results The plasma D-dimer oncentrations in AAD were significantly higher than those in controls [(5.48±7.95) vs. (0.64±0.75), P <0.0l]. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that D-dimer ( > 0.5 μg/mL) was predictive in the diagnosis of AAD, and the area under ROC curve was 0.848 ± 0.042, (95% CI: 0.766-0.930) with 87.5% sensitivity, 62.5% specificity,70% PPV and 83.3% NPV. Conclu-sions D-dimer may be a valuable biomarker in early diagnosis of AAD.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of losartan on mRNA expression of myocardial sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium handling proteins (SERCA2, RyR2 and PLB) and the role of which in prevention of chronic heart failure in rabbit.

METHODSAfter chronic heart failure was induced by ligation of the left anterior descending artery in rabbits, the animals were treated with losartan. At 8 weeks after ligation, left ventricular function, hemodynamic parameters, and SERCA2, RyR2, PLB mRNA expressions were observed.

RESULTSCompared with the control group (group C), LVEDP in the infarcted group (group I) increased (P < 0.01), while +dp/dt(max) and -dp/dt(max) decreased significantly (P < 0.01). LVEDP was lower but +dp/dt(max) and -dp/dt(max) significantly higher in the losartan treated group (group L) than those in group I (P < 0.05). SERCA2, RyR2, and PLB mRNA expressions in group I were remarkably lower than those in group L (P < 0.01) and group C (P < 0.01), respectively.

CONCLUSIONLosartan can improve cardiac function, probably owing to its upregulating mRNA expressions of myocardial sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) handling proteins (RyR2, SERCA2 and PLB) in the prevention of heart failure.

Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Calcium Channels ; drug effects ; Calmodulin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Female ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Losartan ; pharmacology ; Male ; Rabbits ; Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel ; biosynthesis ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum ; drug effects ; metabolism

This study is to investigate the effect and mechanism of puerarin on DNA damage of HaCaT cells induced by UVB. Puerarin pre-treated cells were irradiated with UVB at 30 mJ x cm(-2). Twenty four hours after irradiation, DNA damage was detected by comet assay, ceramide was measured by thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography, intracellular free calcium ion was analyzed by flow cytometry, the phosphorylation level of p38 protein was examined by Western blotting method. Levels of DNA damage, ceramide, free calcium ion and p-p38 protein were elevated in UVB model cells. Contrary to the model group, all indicators above were reduced in all groups pre-treated by puerarin. Puerarin restrains the ceramide accumulation to block downstream p38 MAPK pathway and calcium ion rising, therefore reduces DNA damage in HaCaT cells induced by UVB.
Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Ceramides ; metabolism ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Down-Regulation ; Humans ; Isoflavones ; pharmacology ; Keratinocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Ultraviolet Rays ; adverse effects ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism