Many kinds of small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are able to prevent protein aggregation in stress, which show the ATP independent chaperone-like activity. The smallest protein HSP12.1 in sHSP family of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans exhibits chaperone-like activities in vitro. It prevents protein aggregation in a certain extent when use insulin, ADH and lysozyme as the substrates, though it is not as efficient as the typical chaperones (such as HSP16.1 in C. elegans). By contrast, the other three sHSP12s (HSP12.2, HSP12.3 and HSP12.6), which have similar molecular masses and primary structure, appear devoid of in vitro chaperone-like activities. In addition, overexpressing HSP12.1 enhances cell thermotolerance of Escherichia coli. The survival rate of the HSP12.1 overexpressed cells is 4-fold higher than the control, yet whether it does the same function in C. elegans is still unknown. Results indicate that C-terminal region is not necessary for the chaperone-like activity of sHSPs, for HSP12.1 terminates a short C-terminal tail. N-terminal domain may play a relatively important role in the exhibition of chaperone-like activities, while ?-crystalline domain may also involve in this function.

Objective To study the effects and the mechanism of astragalus menbranaceus (AM) on neonatal lymphocyte apoptosis in cord blood. Methods Cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMC) of 30 full-term neonates were cultured with pure phytohemagglutinin (PHA), PHA combined with IL-6 (PHA + IL-6) or AM (PHA + AM) respectively for 48 hours. The apoptosis index (AI) of lymphocytes of CBMC after cultivation were determined by acridine orange-ethidium bromide dying method. The positive expression of CD38 antigen and CD25 antigen were detected by indirect immunofluorescence procedure. The levels of IL-6 in the supernatants of CBMC were detected by ELISA . Results (1) The AI of the PHA + AM group (16. 5?3. 5)% and PHA+IL-6 group (16. 9?4. 0)% was lower than that of the pure PHA group (32.4?2.8)% (P0. 05). (2) The positive expression rates of CD38 of the PHA+AM group and the PHA+IL-6 group were lower than those of the pure PHA group (P0. 05). The positive expression rates of CD25 of the PHA + AM group and the PHA + IL-6 group were higher than those of the pure PHA group (P0. 05). The positive expression of CD38 of CBMC had positive correlation, but CD25 had negative correlation with the AI of CBMC(r=0. 68, -0. 65,P

Objective:To retrospectively analyze the long-term survival (10-15 years) and late toxicity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients after intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), aiming to provide reference for the optimal treatment of NPC.Methods:132 patients with NPC who were treated with IMRT in Sichuan Cancer Hospital from 2003 to 2009 were recruited. Among them, 3 patients were classified as stage Ⅰ, 22 cases of grade Ⅱ, 61 cases of grade Ⅲ, 43 cases of Ⅳ A and 3 cases of Ⅳ B, respectively. The median dose was 73.37Gy (66 to 85Gy), divided into 33 times. Twenty patients received radiotherapy alone, 112 cases of concurrent radiochemotherapy. The survival rate was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and log- rank test. Univariate prognostic analysis was performed. Cox model was used to conduct multivariate prognostic analysis. The late radiation toxicity was evaluated by RTOG/EORTC criteria. Results:The median follow-up duration was 128 months (range, 3 to 191 months). The 10-and 15-year local control rates of NPC patients were 86.0% and 79.9%. The disease-free survival rates were 72.5% and 63.2%, and the overall survival (OS) rates were 65.2% and 57.1%. The local recurrence rate was 12.1%, and the distant metastasis rate was 16.7%. A total of 53 patients died, of whom 15 patients died of local recurrence, 20 patients died of distant metastasis and 18 patients died of other diseases (pneumonia, intracranial hemorrhage and accident, etc.). The 10-and 15-year non-tumor-related mortality rates were 11.3% and 13.6%. Univariate analysis showed that age, smoking habit, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), T stage and clinical stage were the independent prognostic factors of OS in NPC patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that LDH, T stage and synchronous chemotherapy were the prognostic factors of OS in NPC patients. The incidence of gradeⅠ-Ⅱ late radiation injury (hearing impairment, dysphagia, dental caries and xerostomia) was 90.4%, and 8.5% for grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ late radiation injury (skin fibrosis, hearing impairment and radiation brain injury).Conclusions:The 10-and 15-year OS of NPC patients treated with IMRT is relatively high. With the prolongation of survival, the non-tumor-related mortality rate is increased. Distant metastasis is the main cause of treatment failure. The main late injuries include grade Ⅰ/Ⅱ hearing impairment, dysphagia, dental caries and xerostomia.

Objective To investigate the changes of metamorphopsia between before and after surgery in the patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane and its influence factors.Methods A series cases observitional study included 39 eyes of 39 patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane.Follow-up was carried out at 1 week before surgery and 3,6 months after surgery respectively.M-chart was used to quantify the severity of metamorphopsia (M-score).EDTRS visual chart was used to quantify best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (converted to LogMAR).Central subfield thickness (CST),central foveal volumn (CV),cube average thickness (CAT),central foveal thichness (CFT),ganglion cell layer (GCL) thickness,inner nuclear layer (INL) thickness,outer nuclear layer (ONL) and outer plexiform layer (OPL) thickness,the integrity of external limiting membrane,ellipsoid zone and interdigitation zone were analyzed by using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (OCT).This study protocol was approved by Ethic Committee of Beijing Tongren Hospital (No.TRECKY-012).Written informed consent was obtained from each subject before surgery.Results Mean M-score was significantly decreased from 0.8 (0.3,1.1) before surgery to 0.5 (0.2,0.8) at 3 months after surgery,with a significant difference between the two time points (Z=-2.013,P=0.044).Mean M-score was 0.6(0.2,0.8) at 6 months after surgery,which was not significantly different in comparison with before surgery and 3 months after surgery (Z =-1.873,P =0.061;Z =-0.288,P =0.773).Compared with before surgery,the horizontal M-score was significantly decreased 3 months and 6 months after surgery (Z =-2.329,P =0.020;Z =-2.858,P =0.004).No significant difference was found in vertical M-score among before surgery and 3,6 months after surgery (all at P＞0.05).The BCVA was improved from 0.40 (0.30,0.66) before surgery to 0.20 (0.06,0.42) 3 months after surgery and declined to 0.30 (0.10,0.52) at 6 months after surgery,and significant differences were obtained between 3 months after surgery and before surgery or 6 months after surgery (Z =-4.087,P＜0.001;Z =-2.235,P =0.025).Compared with before surgery,the BCVA in cataract combined with vitrectomy operative group was significantly improved in 3 months and 6 months after surgery (Z=-2.613,P=0.009;Z=-2.466,P=0.014) and the BCVA in only vitrectomy group was significantly improved at 3 months after surgery but decreased 6 months after surgery,showing significant differences between 3 months after surgery and before surgery or 6 months after surgery (Z =-3.104,P =0.002;Z =-3.464,P =0.001).Preoperative M-score was positively correlated with preoperative BCVA,preoperative CST or preoperative CFT (rs =0.384,P =0.016;rs =0.585,P＜0.001;rs =0.601,P＜0.001).No correlation was found between BCVA with GCL,INL or ONL + OPL thickness.Horizontal M-score was positively correlated with CST,postoperative CV and postoperative CAT (rs=0.322,P=0.045;rs=0.340,P=0.034;rs =0.336,P=0.036),and no correlation was found between horizontal M-score and BCVA,CFT,GCL thickness,INL thickness,ONL+OPL thickness in 6 months after surgery.The vertical M-score and mean M-score were not correlated with OCT parameters in 6 months after surgery.The mean M-score was positively correlated with preoperative mean M-score,preoperative CST,preoperative CV,preoperative CAT in 6 months after surgery (rs =0.589,P＜0.001;rs =0.330,P =0.040;rs =0.404,P =0.011;rs =0.410,P =0.009).In addition,and no significant correlation between mean M-score and preoperative BCVA,CFT,GCL thickness,INL thickness,ONL+OPL thickness.Multivariate stepwise linear regression showed that preoperative M-score was a predictor of postoperative M-values (adjusted R2 =0.211,P =0.002).Conclusions Most metamorphopsia can be alleviated after idiopathic epiretinal membrane surgery.The residue metamorphopsia after surgery probably is correlated with preoperative metamorphopsia and CFT.

Objective To evaluate the relationship of retinal sensitivity (MS) with vision-related quality of life in patients with idiopathic macular hole (IMH).Methods A prospective cohort study was performed in this study.Thirty-one monocular IMH patients were enrolled in Beijing Tongren Hospital from May to September of 2017.Vision-related quality of life (VR-QoL) was analyzed in 31 patients with National Eye Institute 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) (Chinese version),and MS in the affected eye and the fellow eye in these patients was detected by Microperimeter-3.MS and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) between the affected eye and the fellow eye were compared.The correlations among BCVA,age,MS,minimum macular hole diameter,composite scores and subscales score were evatuateds.This study protocol was approved by Ethic Committee of Beijing Tongren Hospital.This study complied with Declaration of Helsinki.Results There were significant correlations between composite scores and MS in the affected eye and the fellow eye (affected eye:ρ=0.484,P=0.006;fellow eye:ρ=0.387,P =0.031).Significante correlations were shown in near activities (affected eye:ρ =-0.353,P =0.048;fellow eye:ρ =0.352,P =0.048) and distance activities (affected eye:ρ =0.496,P =0.004;fellow eye:ρ =0.415,P =0.015).No obvious correlations were shown between VR-QoL and BCVA or minimum hole diameter.The correlation between composite scores and the MS in the affected eye was the most strong.Conclusions MS can reflect the retinal function in patients of IMH more widely.The correlations VR-QoL and MS is correlated in the affected eye and fellow eye in patients of monocular IMH,however,patient's VR-QoL dependes more on the affected eye.IMH can violate the patient's near and distance activities.