To evaluate the visual performance of the patients with traumatic corneal astigmatism, after the treatment of topography guided off-flap epipolis laser in situ keratomileusi (off-flap Epi-LASlK).
●METHODS: This prospective clinical study was comprised of 21 eyes of 21 patients with irregular corneal astigmatism caused by trauma, they were treated by off-flap Epi - LASlK from July 2012 to December 2013. The data included uncorrected visual acuity ( UCVA), best spectacle - corrected visual acuity ( BSCVA ), contrast sensitivity 1, 6mo before and after surgery; the healing area percentage of corneal epithelia, the healing time of corneal epithelia and pain score at 3d after surgery.
●RESULTS: Postoperative 1mo both UCVA and BSCVA were improved significantly than that before surgery (t =15. 703, 4. 351, P< 0. 05); Compared with the 1mo after surgery, UCVA at 6mo after surgery raised significantly (t= 6. 867, P <0. 05). There was no statistical significance between 6 and 1mo after surgery about BSCVA (t= 1. 497, P = 0. 140 ). After surgery, mean spherical equivalent (SE) was reduced from -2. 43±3. 02D to -0. 23±0. 49D (P<0. 05), and the mean cylinder was reduced from -1. 86± 2. 23D to - 0. 46 ± 1. 03D (P< 0. 05). Postoperative 1mo,4 kinds of spatial frequency and contrast sensitivity had no significant difference compared with the preoperative (P>0. 05 ). Postoperative 6mo except the 3c/ d spatial frequency, the remaining 3 spatial frequency contrast sensitivity compared with those before operation were significantly improved ( P < 0. 05 ). The healing area percentage of corneal epithelia was 92. 46% ±8. 24% (80% -100%) at 3d after surgery; The healing time of corneal epithelia was 3. 50 ± 1. 56d; Pain scores at 3 and 7d after surgery was 1. 54±1. 32 and 0. 04±0. 64, respectively.
●CONCLUSlON: Topography-guided off-flap Epi-LASlK is safe and effective in treating the patients with traumatic corneal irregular astigmatism. The operation can improve both the contrast sensitivity and the visual performance.

For investigation of the regulatory mechanism of cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8) on pulmonary circulation in rabbits with endotoxic shock (ES) induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) were evaluated for 5 h in five groups of rabbits: group of LPS (8 mg/kg, i.v.)-induced ES, group of CCK-8 pretreatment (15 microg/kg, i.v.) 15 min before LPS administration (8 mg/kg, i.v.), group of proglumide pretreatment (1 mg/kg, i.v.) 15 min before LPS administration (8 mg/kg, i.v.), group of CCK (15 microg/kg, i.v.) only, and normal saline (control) group. The pulmonary arterial tension was measured with isolated vascular ring technique. The results showed that LPS-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension was abolished by CCK-8. In contrast, proglumide, a nonspecific antagonist of CCK-8 receptor, potentiated the deleterious effect of LPS. The contractile response of isolated pulmonary artery to alpha-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine (PE) was enhanced and the relaxation response to acetylcholine (ACh) was depressed significantly after LPS was injected, but the effect could be reversed by CCK-8. These results suggest that pulmonary circulation is improved by CCK-8 in ES, and the regulatory effects of CCK-8 may be brought about by modulating the pulmonary arterial tension.
Animals ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Pulmonary Artery ; drug effects ; physiology ; Rabbits ; Shock, Septic ; complications ; physiopathology ; Sincalide ; pharmacology ; Vasodilation ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Beclin1 overexpression on the growth of ovarian carcinoma cell line SKOV3 in vitro and in vivo.

METHODSThe recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.1/Beclin1 was constructed and transfected into SKOV3 cells via lipofectamine 2000. MTT assay was used to evaluate the effect of Beclin1 overexpression on the proliferation and growth of the transfected cells, whose apoptosis and autophagy were analyzed by flow cytometry. SKOV3 cells transfected with the plasmids pcDNA3.1/Beclin1 or pcDNA3.1 were inoculated subcutaneously in nude mice, and their carcinogenic and growth activities in vivo were evaluated.

RESULTSMTT assay showed that transfection with pcDNA3.1/Beclin1 significantly inhibited the proliferations of SKOV3 cells, with a cell inhibition rate of 58.68% (P<0.05). The transfection also resulted in a cell apoptosis rate of (21.26-/+3.89)%, significantly higher than that of pcDNA3.1 trasnfection (P<0.05). Flow cytomerty showed that pcDNA3.1/Beclin1 transfection of SKOV3 cells produced a significantly higher MDC fluorescent intensity than pcDNA3.1 transfection. The SKOV3 cells transfected with vector pcDNA3.1/Beclin1 also showed decreased carcinogenic activity in nude mice, with a growth inhibition rate of 50.27%.

CONCLUSIONBeclin1 overexpression can inhibit the proliferation and growth of SKOV3 cells in vitro and vivo, suggesting its potential role in gene therapy of ovarian carcinoma.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; genetics ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Beclin-1 ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Female ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; pathology ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

Objective To investigate the expression of LRG1 (Leucine－rich alpha－2－glycoprotein 1) and CD105 (Endoglin) in normal cervical tissues , cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)Ⅱ－ Ⅲ and cervical carcinoma. Furthermore, to explore the function of LRG1 in cervical carcinoma pathogenesis and the relationship between LRG1 and microvessel density.Methods The expression levels of LRG1 and CD105 were detected by immunohistochemistry in 40 cervical carcinoma tissues, 20 CINⅡ－ Ⅲ tissues and 20 normal cervical tissues. Results Compared to the normal cervix, the expression of LRG1 in CINⅡ－ Ⅲ and cervical squamous cell carcinoma was significantly increased (P＜0.05).LRG1expression was correlated to clinical stage and lymph node metastasis (P＜0.05) . But there was no correlation between LRG1 expression and age, the size of tumor, pathologic grades and depth of invasion (P＞0.05).With the deepening of cervical lesions, CD105－MVD (X± s) increasedsignificantly (P＜0.05).The expression of CD105－MVD in cervical carcinomawas related to clinical stage, lymph node metastasis and the size of tumor. The difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05) . There was no correlation between CD105－MVD and age, pathologic grades and depth of invasion (P＞0.05).Positive correlation was found between the expression of LRG1 and CD105－MVD (r=0.944,P＜0.05).Conclusions The expression of LRG1 and CD105－MVD is up－regulated and shows a positive correlation, which suggests that the abnormal expression of LRG1 and CD105－MVD may involve in the occurrence and development of cervical squamous carcinoma.

OBJECTIVETo detect the expession of THY1 in ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma tissues.

METHODSImmunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of THY1 gene in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens of normal ovaries (n = 25), ovarian serous cystadenoma (n = 25), and serous cystadenocarcinoma (n = 53). The correlation of THY1 expression with clinicopathological parameters was statistically analyzed.

RESULTSThe positive expression rates of THY1 protein in normal ovaries, ovarian serous cystadenomas and ovarian serous cystadenocarcinomas were 60.0% (15/25), 72.0% (18/25) and 34.0% (18/53), respectively. The values of IOD of THY1 protein expression were 288,449.2 +/- 60,087.3, 271,655.6 +/- 66,588.7 and 252,087.6 +/- 45,559.4, respectively. The expression of THY1 protein was significantly down-regulated in ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma tissues compared with that in normal ovarian tissues and ovarian serous cystadenoma tissues (P < 0.05). THY1 expression was negatively correlated with surgical-pathological staging, histological differentiation and lymph node involvement (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe decreased level of THY1 expression may be related with the occurrence and development of ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cystadenoma, Serous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Thy-1 Antigens ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of autophagy gene Beclin 1 on growth of cervical cancer HeLa cells in vitro and vivo.

METHODSThe eukaryotic expression vector of Beclin1 was constructed and transfected via lipofectamine into HeLa cells. The experimental cells were classified into 3 groups: pcDNA3.1(+)-Beclin1 group,pcDNA3.1(+) group and HeLa group. Real time-ploymerase chain reaction and Western blot were used for detecting expression of Beclin1 mRNA and protein in the transfected cells. Flow cytometry (FCM) was employed to observe the effect of transfection on the apoptosis of HeLa cells, and proliferation was analyzed by MTT assay. The formation of autophagic vacuoles was measured by MDC staining. HeLa cells transfected with plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-Beclin1 and pcDNA3.1(+) were inoculated subcutaneously in nude mice. The carcinogenic and growth activities of cancer cells in vivo were observed.

RESULTSEukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(+)-Beclin1 was constructed successfully. It significantly improved the expression of Beclin1 mRNA and protein in HeLa cells. The proliferation of HeLa cells was inhibited, and the inhibition rate was 58.7%. FCM investigation showed that the apoptotic rate was (28.22 ± 2.34)% of pcDNA3.1(+)-Beclin1 group, significantly higher than the (14.6 ± 4.6)% in the pcDNA3.1(+) group and (11.2 ± 3.0)% in the HeLa group (P < 0.05). The monodansylcadaverin (MDC) staining showed significantly more autophagic vacuoles in the pcDNA3.1(+)-Beclin1 group (10.9%) than that in the pcDNA3.1(+) group (3.1%) and HeLa group (2.5%) (P < 0.05). After transfected with vector pcDNA3.1(+)-Beclin1, the carcinogenic activity of HeLa cells was decreased in nude mice, and the inhibition rate of tumor growth was 52.2%.

CONCLUSIONSAutophagy gene Beclin 1 overexpression can inhibit the proliferation and growth of HeLa cells in vitro and vivo,while promote autophagy and apoptosis of HeLa cells. So it might be one of new gene therapy strategies for cervical carcinoma.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Autophagy ; Beclin-1 ; Cell Proliferation ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Genetic Vectors ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Tumor Burden

Adult ; Aged ; Bundle-Branch Block ; etiology ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; surgery ; Catheter Ablation ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Heart Septum ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of lutein on apoptosis and its mechanism.

METHODThe cells of human esophageal carcinoma EC9706 were grown in RPMI medium containing 10% bovine serum and were treated with lutein at 100 microg x mL(-1) concentration. Flow cytometry was employed to investigate the effects of lutein on cell apoptosis of EC9706 cells. Histochemistry was performed to determine apoptosis-related protein expresion.

RESULTFlow cytometry analyses revealed that lutein increased EC9706 cell apoptosis ratio when treated with lutein 100 microg x mL(-1) at 96 h. Lutein decreased the expression of Bcl-2 protein and increased the expression of Bax protein in EC9706 cells.

CONCLUSIONLutein could inhibit mitosis and stimulate apoptosis of EC9706 cells. The apoptotic effect may result from the down-regulation of expression of Bcl-2 and up-regulation expression of Bax.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Lutein ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo determine the clinical application of pulsed Doppler tissue imaging in assessing the left ventricular diastolic function and in discriminating between normal subjects and patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with various stages of diastolic dysfunction.

METHODSWe measured the peak diastolic velocities of mitral annulus in 81 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with various stages of diastolic dysfunction and 50 normal volunteers by Doppler tissue imaging using the apical window at 2-chamber and long apical views, respectively. The myocardial velocities were determined with use of variance F statistical analysis.

RESULTSEarly diastolic myocardial velocities of mitral annulus were higher in normal subjects than in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with either delayed relaxation, pseudonormal filling, or restrictive filling. However, peak myocardial velocities of mitral annulus during atrial contraction were similar in normal subjects and patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

CONCLUSIONDoppler tissue imaging can directly reflect upon left diastolic ventricular function. Early phase of diastole was the best discriminator between control subjects and patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Adult ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Diastole ; physiology ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; methods ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Ventricular Function, Left

BACKGROUNDThe 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection is associated with the high risk of severe complications and is spreading more rapidly throughout the world than other reported seasonal influenzas. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the nature herbal medicine Lianhuaqingwen capsule (LHC) in patients infected with influenza A (H1N1) virus.

METHODSA total of 244 patients aged 16 - 65 years confirmed with influenza A (H1N1) virus infection by the real time RT-PCR were randomized to one of two treatment groups of 122 patients each. Each group assigned to receive either LHC or Oseltamivir for five days and observation for seven days. The patients were enrolled within 36 hours of illness onset if they had an axillary temperature of ≥ 37.4°C and with at least one of the following symptoms: nasal obstruction, runny nose, cough, sore throat, fatigue, headache, myalgia, chills and sweating. The primary end point was the duration of illness.

RESULTSOf 244 patients, 240 (98.36%) patients with a median age 21 years completed the study between October 24, 2009 and November 23, 2009. There were no significant overall differences between LHC treated and Oseltamivir treated patients in the median duration of illness (LHC 69 hours vs. Oseltamivir 85 hours P > 0.05) or the median duration of viral shedding (LHC 103 hours vs. Oseltamivir 96 hours, P > 0.05). However, it was worthwhile to note that LHC significantly reduced the severity of illness and the duration of symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat, and fatigue (P < 0.05). Both study medications were well tolerated. No drug related serious adverse events occurred during the study.

CONCLUSIONSCompared with Oseltamivir, LHC achieved a similar therapeutic effectiveness reduction of the duration of illness and duration of viral shedding. Therefore, LHC might be an alternative therapeutic measure for influenza A (H1N1) virus infections.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; pathogenicity ; Influenza, Human ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult