AIM:To investigate changes of retinal nerve fiber layer ( RNFL) thickness and macular retinal thickness in patients with early diabetic retinopathy ( DR ) and disclose the changing trends of RNFL thickness and macular retinal thickness in different stages of early DR.
METHODS:It was a clinical case control study. Through selecting 60 patients ( 120 eyes ) with early DR diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were divided into non - diabetic retinopathy (NDR) group (20 cases, 40 eyes) and mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) group (20 cases, 40eyes), moderate NPDR group (20 cases, 40 eyes) . Twenty normal patients ( 40 eyes ) were enrolled as control group. The RNFL thickness of optical nerve ( with circle scan round optic nerve head, scan diameter of 3. 45mm) and the retinal thickness of macular ( around center point with 1000μm diameter ) were measured by optical coherence tomography ( OCT ) , to compare the RNFL thickness changes of the control and early DR patients.
RESULTS:Compared with the control group, the RNFL thickness of optical disc in the inferior quadrant was descended obviously in NDR group ( P < 0. 05 ), with statistically significant difference,; there were no statistically significant difference in other quadrants ( P>0.05). In mild NPDR group, the RNFL thickness of optical disc in the mean and inferior quadrant was significantly descended than that in the NDR group. In moderate NPDR group, the RNFL thickness of optical disc in the mean, superior and inferior quadrant was statistical significance descended than that in the NDR group ( P < 0. 05 ). Compared with the NPDR group, NDR group and control group, the RNFL thickness of optical disc in each quadrant were descended significantly. There was statistically significant difference in macular retinal thickness among the NDR group, mild NPDR and moderate NPDR group ( P<0. 05), the retinal thickness was increased gradually in mild NPDR and moderate NPDR group.
CONCLUSION:With the development in the degree of early DR, RNFL thickness is gradually decreased and retinal thickness is increased, OCT can be observed qualitatively and quantitatively in DR.

Objective To develop a sensitive, specific, rapid and easy method for detecting E. coli O157 : H7 and other Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in food and clinical specimens. Methods A circular probe and capture probe specific for Shiga toxin-2 (stx2) gene had been synthesized and was used for determining the sensitivity of ramification amplification method (RAM). Different serotypes which contained stx2 gene, including an E. coli O157 : H7, an E. coli O46 : H38, an E. coli O111 : NM, an E. coli O22 : H8 and E. coli ATCC23716 (stx2 gene negative) were used for determining the specificity. All strains were detected by RAM to determine whether they contained stx2 gene. Real-time RAM was further studied to detect stx2 gene. Results The lowest number targets detected by RAM assay was 10 copies of stx2, indicating that RAM assay was as sensitive as conventional PCR. The result of specificity showed that different serotypes of strains were all positive for stx2 gene, while nonpathogenic E. coli ATCC23716 was negative. Among 32 isolates, 28 STEC isolates containing stx2 gene were positive by RAM assay, while others were negative. The RAM results were 100% in concordance with that of PCR. The real-time RAM results also showed that as many as 10 bacteria can be detected and the time of appearance of detectable signal was depended on the target concentration. Conclusion RAM assay can offer an alternative method for PCR to detect E. coli O157 : H7 and STEC in all types of specimens because of its simplicity and isothermal amplification.

AIM: To observe the changes of serum nitric oxide and the production level of IL-1 in different period of coxsackievirus B 4 (CB 4V)-induced insulin-dependent diabetic mice.METHODS: The insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) animal model induced by CB 4V infection was established. Serum nitric oxide level was estimated by nitrate reductase method after infection 72 h,1 week, 3 weeks,6 weeks,8 weeks, respectively. At the same time, level of IL-1 produced by peritoneal M? was measued.RESULTS: (1) Changes of serum nitric oxide: serum nitric oxide level in control group remained normal level. The serum nitric oxide level in diabetic group increased significantly at 72 h after infection(P0.05). (2) IL-1 activities: IL-1 activities were increased obviously from 72 h to 3 weeks after virus infection, but decreased to normal level after 6 weeks.CONCLUSION: Nitric oxide may be one of the important factors in the development of CB 4V-induced IDDM.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in the army old male hypertensive patients in Beijing. Methods From October 2011 to April 2014, old male patients in the geriatric department of the General Hospital of Chi-nese People's Liberation Army were enrolled and categorized into 3 groups: normotensive, well-controlled hypertensive and poorly-con-trolled hypertensive groups. The prevalence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases was recorded and binary logistic regression was used to analyze the differences among the groups. Results 719 old male patients were enrolled, 228 in normotensive group, 389 in well-con-trolled hypertensive group and 102 in poorly-controlled hypertensive group. Compared to normotensive group, there was more incidence of angina (OR=2.547, P<0.001), myocardial infarction (OR=2.493, P=0.003), cerebral thrombosis (OR=3.438, P=0.003) and peripheral artery atherosclerotic disease (OR=1.766, P=0.026) in the well-controlled hypertensive group, and it was more of angina (OR=4.123, P<0.001), la-cunar infarction (OR=2.810, P=0.020), cerebral thrombosis (OR=3.484, P=0.001) and peripheral artery atherosclerotic disease (OR=3.773, P<0.001) in the poorly-controlled hypertensive group. There was not significant difference of prevalence of cerebral hemorrhage (0.9%, 1%and 1%, respectively). Conclusion In the army old male hypertensive patients in Beijing, control rate of blood pressure was higher than com-mon population, but the prevalence of ischemic diseases was still higher than in the normotensive patients. Anti-hypertension and control of other risk factors could reduce the mobidity of cerebral haemorrahge.

G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1(TGR5) is a specific membrane receptor of bile acids , playing an important role in the bile acid signaling network .Its activation has been proved to increase the glycemic control , regulate of blood lipid balance , enhance energy expenditure , exert anti-inflammatory actions and so on .It suggests that TGR5 may play an important role in metabolic diseases .

We wished to screen the cell line that stably expresses the HPV18E5 protein, and to ascertain the influence of HPV18E5 protein on cell proliferation and the cell cycle. The HPV18E5 gene was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. Then, the His-tag pSecTag-HPV18E5 eukaryotic expression vector was constructed by digestion ligation and connection. The recombinant plasmid was transfected into Balb/c3T3 cells with lipofectamine, and positive cell lines were screened by a culture medium containing bleomycin. HPV18E5 expression in cells was confirmed by western blotting and immuno-enzymatic methods. The influence of HPV18E5 on cell proliferation and the cell cycle were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry, respectively. The pSecTag-HPV18E5 eukaryotic expression vector was constructed. After 21-day selection in a culture medium containing 400 μg/mL bleomycin, stably expressing HPV18E5 protein cells were harvested. Compared with control groups, cell proliferation in HPV18E5 stably expressed cells was obviously increased, as was the S phase in the cell cycle. Our results suggested that HPV18E5 influences cell proliferation and the cell cycle. Our study has laid the foundation of the biologic properties of HPV18E5 protein, which will aid further studies on the mechanism of action of carcinogenesis.
Cell Cycle ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Human papillomavirus 18 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Oncogene Proteins, Viral ; genetics ; metabolism ; Papillomavirus Infections ; physiopathology ; virology ; Transfection

Objective To study the effects and mechanisms of infrasound with low sound pressure level on focal cerebral ischemia-refusion injury. Methods Focal cerebral ischemia was produced by 2 hours of occlusion of the middle cerebral artery in rats. lnfrasound generated by infrasound 8TM device was used as treatment factor. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: sham group (n=8), model group (n=8) and in-frasound group (n=16) , and the infrasound group was subdivided into 20- and 120-min infrasound groups, with 8 rats in each group. Neurological symptoms was assessed at 2 h, 1 d, 3 d and 7 d, respectively. These rats were sacrificed after 7 days of infrasound treatment and their brains were harvested. The number of IGF-1 posive cells of ischemia cortex was counted by using immunohistochemical technique. Results Compared with model group, neurological symptoms of rats in 120-min infrasound group was significantly improved (P<0.05); the number of IGF-1 positive cells of ischemia cortex in 120-min infrasound group increased significantly as compared with that in model group (P<0.01). Conclusion Infrasound with low sound pressure level (120 min/d, 7 d) could exert neuroprotective effect in focal cerebral ischemia injury by increasing expression of IGF-1 in brain.

Objective To examine the neuroprotective effect of pulsed magnetic field in a animal focal cere-bral ischemica-reperfusion injury model. Methods Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomized into 3 groups, a sham-operation group, a model group and a pulsed magnetic field group, with rats 16 in each group. Mid-dle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) method was employed to establish the focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion inju-ry model in rats of model group and pulsed magnetic field group. Rats in sham-operation group was subject to the same operation procedure but not underwent ischemia-reperfusion. The infarction volume, histopathological damage and expressions of IGF-1 in ischemic brain tissue were investigated to evaluate the effect of pulsed magnetic field. Results The infarction volume was reduced, histopathological damage alleviated and expressions of IGF-1 in ische-mic brain tissue elevated in the pulsed magnetic field group as compared against the model group (P<0.05). Con-clusions Pulsed magnetic field might provide neuro-protection against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an important part of modern medicine. Application of modern ana-lytical techniques to identify the authenticity of TCM and evaluate its quality is an important and critical content in the process of the modernization and internationalization of TCM. This paper described the development and charac-teristics of a 1H-NMR-based metabolomics technology, and reviewed its application in the species identification, quality evaluation of Daodi Y aocai (i.e., genuine medicinal materials), processing theory and the best harvest time of TCM. Besides, based on previous work, further discussion was given on technical methods and key question of the 1H-NMR metabolomics method. This paper provided a methodological reference for the species identification and quality evaluation of TCM and other herbal medicines.

Objective To investigate the changes and clinical significance of calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) and interleu-kin 1α(IL-1α) before and after warm acupuncture therapy in the patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH ) .Methods Serum CGRP and IL-1αcontents were detected before and after the warm acupuncture therapy in 60 cases of lumbar disc herniation and 15 healthy control cases by ELISA method for conducting the statistical analysis .The changes of the McGill pain scores and serum CGRP and IL-1αconcentrations before and after the warm acupuncture therapy were observed .Results The McGill pain scores af-ter the warm acupuncture therapy in the LDH patients were significantly decreased ,the difference was statistically significant (P<0 .01) ,and serum CGRP and IL-1α concentrations were significantly decreased ,the difference was statistically significant (P<0 .01) .Conclusion CGRP and IL-1αcan be used as the observation index of the effects for the warm acupuncture therapy in trea-ting LDH ,which can provide the basis for the conservative treatment of LDH .