AIM:To discuss the application value of retro-mode imaging by F-10 confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO) for detecting drusen in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).METHODS:This was a retrospective case study.During the period of October 2015 to December 2016, 67 patients with unilateral AMD (67 affected eyes and 67 fellow eyes) were included in this study.All patients underwent color fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and retro-mode imaging by F-10 cSLO.The features of drusen by color fundus photography, OCT and retro-mode imaging were comparatively observed in the affected eyes of patients with unilateral AMD.Positive numbers of drusen in the fellow eyes of patients with unilateral AMD detected by color fundus photography, OCT and retro-mode imaging were calculated and compared.RESULTS:Retro-mode imaging by F-10 cSLO gave easier to identify images of drusen than color fundus photography and OCT in the affected eyes of patients with unilateral AMD.In the fellow eyes of 67 patients with unilateral AMD, retro-mode imaging showed drusen in 56 cases(84%), color funds photography showed drusen in 36 cases(54%), OCT showed drusen in 48 cases(72%), the difference was statistically significant(χ2=14.31, P<0.05).The positive numbers of drusen detected by retro-mode imaging were significantly higher than color fundus photography, the difference was statistically significant(χ2=13.87, P′<0.0125).There was no statistically significant difference in the positive numbers of drusen detected by retro-mode imaging and OCT(χ2=2.75, P′>0.0125).CONCLUSION:Retro-mode imaging by F-10 cSLO provides a non-invasive technique and should be useful for detecting and monitoring drusen in AMD.

Colorectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; secondary ; surgery

Objective To observe the effects of an enriched environment (EE) on cognitive functioning and the synaptic plasticity of mice modeling post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) and explore the possible mechanisms involved.Methods Mice modeling PSCI and sham-operated mice were randomly divided into 3 groups:sham-operated mice in a standard environment (the Sham+SE group),PSCI mice in a standard environment (the PSCI+SE group) and PSCI mice in an enriched environment (the PSCI+EE group).The cognitive functioning of all of the mice was quantified using a Morris water maze and their hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) was recorded using an electrophysiological method.The level of synaptophysin was detected using Western blotting.Synaptic ultrastructure in the hippocampus was imaged using electron microscopy.Results Compared with the Sham +SE group,the PSCI+SE group showed significantly poorer water maze performance and failed induction of contralateral LTP.Their average level of synaptophysin was significantly lower,and significant adverse changes in the synaptic ultrastructure of the hippocampus were observed,including a decreased number of synapses.The average width of the synaptic cleft,postsynaptic density and the interface curvature of the synapses were all less desirable.All of the measurements of the PSCI+EE group improved significantly compared to those of the PSCI+SE group,but were still significantly poorer than those of the Sham+SE group.Conclusions An enhanced environment can improve the cognitive functioning of mice modelling PSCI.It may be that an EE can improve synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus contralateral to the stroke.

Cancer, an abnormal cell proliferation resulted from multi-factors,has the highest morbidity and mortality among all the serious diseases. Considerable progress has been made in cancer biology in recent years. Tumor immunology, cancer stem cells (CSCs), autophagy, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) have become hot topics of interests in this area. Detailed dissection of these biological processes will provide novel directions, targets, and strategies for the pharmacological evaluation, mechanism elucidation, and new drug development of traditional Chinese medicine.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; immunology ; physiopathology

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of kidney-invigorating and asthma-relieving granules in treating kidney deficiency type of bronchial asthma patients in persistent.Methods:A total of 100 patients with bronchial asthma admitted to Shanghai Municipal Hospital of TCM from March 2020 to August 2020 were selected as the research subjects. The patients were divided into control group and treatment group by random and double blind method, 50 in each group. Both groups were treated by routine basic treatment. The control group was treated with Kidney-invigorating and asthma-relieving Placebo, while the observation group was treated with kidney-invigorating and asthma-relieving granules. All the treatment lasted for 6 weeks. The TCM syndromes scores, Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores, Peak expiratory flow/predicted value (PEF%) and eosinophil in peripheral blood before and after treatment were observed.Results:A total of 91 patients completed the clinical study. There were 45 patients in the control group and 46 in the treatment group. The total effective rate in the treatment group was 93.5% (43/46), while that in the control group was 77.8% (35/45), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=4.579, P=0.032). After the treatment, the scores of integral efficacy on syndromes in Chinese medicine, ACT and PEF% in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( t values were 2.802, 3.420 and 8.938, respectively, all Ps<0.01). The eosinophil in peripheral blood of patients in the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group ( t=3.481, P=0.001). Conclusion:On the basis of conventional treatment of western medicine, kidney-invigorating and asthma-relieving granules can relieve the clinical symptoms of asthma, improve the control level of asthma, enhance the level of PEF, reduce airway inflammation.

NOD/SCID (non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient) mice are immune deficient mice which are made by backcross of severe combined immunodeficient mice with non-obese diabetic mice strains. NOD/SCID mice are both innate immune deficiencies and lack of T and B lymphocytes. Various tumor cells can be implanted in this kind of mice, the rejection and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occur fewer. Therefore, NOD/SCID mice gradually become a useful tool for the study on Experimental Hematology. This paper comprehensively reviews the biological characteristics of NOD/SCID mice, the establishment of human leukemia model, stem cell transplantation, drug research, deficiency and improvement of NOD/SCID mice in application for study.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hematology ; methods ; Leukemia ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred NOD ; Mice, SCID ; Models, Animal ; Research ; trends

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of polypeptide extract from scorpion venom (PESV) on PI3K, p-Akt signal protein regulating K562 cell apoptosis and its mechanism. The K562 cells were cultured with PESV for different time, the cell growth curve was determined by MTT method, the levels of PI3K and p-Akt proteins were detected by Western blot. The results showed that as compared with control group, the apoptosis rate of K562 cells treated with PESV increased, the levels of PI3K and p-Akt expression decreased. It is concluded that the PESV inhibits the proliferation and promotes the apoptosis of K562 cells probably through suppressing the expression of PI3K and p-Akt signal proteins.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Scorpion Venoms ; pharmacology ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

Animals ; DNA, Protozoan ; analysis ; blood ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rabbits ; Semen ; parasitology ; Toxoplasma ; isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal ; parasitology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution and major influencing factors of annual systolic blood pressure variability from a large population cohort.

METHODSIn this prospective cohort study, data from Kailuan Group employees who attended all 4 physical examinations ( taken in June 2006 to October 2007, June 2008 to October 2009, June 2010 to October 2011, June 2012 to October 2013, respectively) were analyzed (32 959 males and 10 401 females, mean age: (48.2 ± 11.5) years old). Systolic blood pressure variability was defined as the standard deviation (SSD) and the coefficient of variation (SCV) of systolic blood pressure of 4 physical examinations. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to determine the related influencing factors of SSD and SCV.

RESULTS(1) The mean of SSD and SCV for this cohort was 10.91 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) and 8.34%, respectively. SSD and SCV increased in male and female with increasing age (both P < 0.001). (2) Multiple linear regression analysis showed that systolic blood pressure (β = 0.225, P < 0.001), age (β = 0.163, P < 0.001), fasting blood glucose (β = 0.038, P < 0.001), the use of anti-hypertensive drugs (β = 0.038, P < 0.001), sex (β = 0.038, P < 0.001), smoking (β = 0.025, P < 0.001), alcohol drinking (P = -0.022, P < 0.001), physical exercise (β = -0.018, P = 0.001), high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (β = 0.016, P = 0.001) body mass index (β = -0.011, P = 0.018) were related to SSD. Age (β = 0.139, P < 0.001), sex (β = 0.055, P < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (β = 0.047, P < 0.001), fasting blood glucose (P = 0.033, P < 0.001), drinking (β = -0.030, P < 0.001), body mass index (β = -0.026, P < 0.001), the use of anti- hypertensive drugs (β = 0.026, P < 0.001), smoking (β = 0.024, P < 0.001), physical exercise (β = -0.015, P = 0. 001), high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (β = 0. 014, P = 0. 001) were related to SCV.

CONCLUSIONSSSD and SCV increase with increasing age. Systolic blood pressure, age, fasting blood glucose, the use of anti-hypertensive drugs, sex, smoking, drinking, physical exercise, high-sensitivity c-reactive protein, body mass index are major influencing factors for SSD. Age, sex, systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, alcohol drinking, body mass index, the use of anti-hypertensive drugs, smoking, physical exercise, high-sensitivity c-reactive protein are major influencing factors for SCV.

Alcohol Drinking ; Antihypertensive Agents ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cohort Studies ; Exercise ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Smoking

Tyrosol, crenulatin and salidroside are the main active constituents of Rhodiola crenulata, with extensive pharmacological activities. In the study, grams of high purity tyrosol, crenulatin and salidroside were simultaneously separated from R. crenulata by the first time. Firstly, R. crenulata was extracted by 70% alcohol. Then, with the yields of three compounds as the index, the macroporous resin was optimized. At last, grams of high purity tyrosol, crenulatin and salidroside were isolated by D-101 macroporousresin, purified by column chromatography. Detected by HPLC, the purity of three compounds were higher than 98%. This method has the advantages of simple process and operation, less dosage of organic solvent, highly yield and reproducibility, suitable for the simultaneously preparation of tyrosol, crenulatin and salidroside.
Chemical Fractionation ; methods ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Coumarins ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Glucosides ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Phenols ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Phenylethyl Alcohol ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Rhodiola ; chemistry