AlM: To investigate the influences of 577nm panretinal photocoagulation ( PRP ) on the retinal thickness of macular fovea on diabetic retinopathy ( DR) .METHODS:A total of 45 eyes of 37 cases suffering from preproliferative diabetic retinopathy ( PPDR ) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy ( PDR ) undergoing 577nm PRP were enrolled in this study. The alterations of the retinal thickness of macular fovea measured by optovue optical coherence tomography( OCT) before and 1, 3, 6mo following PRP were comparatively analyzed.RESULTS: The macularfoveal retinal thickness after 1, 3mo of PRP had significantly increased that before operation (P<0. 05). After 6mo postoperative follow-up, it gradually recovered to the level before PRP, with no significant difference (P>0. 05).CONCLUSlON: After the treatment of PRP, it appeared a transient increase on the retinal thickness of macular fovea, but after 6mo following-up, the macular foveal retinal thickness decreased nearly to the levels before PRP.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antitubercular Agents ; therapeutic use ; Coal Mining ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Ofloxacin ; therapeutic use ; Pneumoconiosis ; complications ; Silicotuberculosis ; drug therapy

Corneal endothelial cell(CEC)is the most critical part for the cornea, of which activity can influence the postoperative vision.It is very important for the clinical cornea preservation considering the function and its self-purification of donor cornea.There are a variety of classical methods, which can significantly prolong the saving time of donor cornea with its good quality of CEC.We reviewed the published papers about present preservation methods of cornea, which can give us many suggestions for the clinical cornea preservation.

OBJECTIVETo observe the improvements in constipation differentiated as intestine system syndrome and lung system syndrome treated with electroacupuncture (EA) and explore their correlation.

METHODSSeventy cases of severe functional constipation were randomized into an EA group and a pseudo-EA group, 35 cases in each one. In the EA group, the needles were inserted deeply at Tianshu (ST 25) and Fujie (SP 14) on bilateral sides, and directly went to parietal peritoneum. EA was attached to the needles, dense-disperse wave, 2 Hz/15 Hz, and 0.1 to 1.0 mA. The perpendicular insertion was done at Shangjuxu (ST 37), 25 mm in depth. After qi arrival, the needle was lifted, thrusted and rotated once every 10 min, for 3 times totally. The needles were retained for 30 min. In the pseudo-EA group, the pseudo-points lateral to Tianshu (ST 25), Fujie (SP 14) and Shangjuxu (ST 37) on bilateral sides were punctured shallowly. The electric stimulation was pretended to connect but with the electric wire cutting off. The needles were retained for 30 min. The treatment was given 5 times weekly in the first two weeks and 3 times weekly in the later 6 weeks. Totally, 28 treatments were required. TCM intestine and lung syndrome scale was used for evaluation. The changes in TCM syndromes were observed before and after treatment in the patients of the two groups.

RESULTSThe total score of intestine and lung syndrome and the score of individual syndrome were all reduced after treatment as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (both P<0.01). The improvements of the EA group in the total score of intestine system syndrome, the scores of large. intestine syndrome and stomach syndrome, the total score of lung system syndrome and the score of lung dysfunction in dispersing and descending syndrome were superior to those of the pseudo-EA group (P<0.01, P<0.05). The differences in the scores of lung qi deficiency syndrome and throat syndrome were not significant between the two groups (all P>0.05). Simultaneously, the very strong positive correlation (P<0.01) and positive linear correlation (P<0.01) were presented in the total score of intestine and lung syndrome of the two groups.

CONCLUSIONEA obviously improves in intestine system syndrome (including large intestine syndrome and stomach syndrome), as well as lung system syndrome (lung dysfunction in dispersing and descending) in the treatment of constipation. But the improvements are not apparent in the treatment of lung qi deficiency and throat disorder. Additionally, the obvious correlation is displayed in the improvements in intestine and lung syndrome.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Aged ; Constipation ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Intestines ; physiopathology ; Lung ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the characteristics of ischemia-reperfusion induced infant lung damage and the potential mechanisms of the injuried.Methods Both infant (15-21 days old) and adult (5-6 months old) rabbits were subjected to either ischemia-reperfusion or sham operation.Ischemia-reperfusion was induced by clamping the right pulmonary hilum for 1 hour and then removal of the clamp for 4 hours under anesthesia.The lung tissue were sampled for histological examination by light and electron microcopies and for biological evaluation of mitochondrial alterations.Production and expression of free radical species-hydroxyl radical (ROS-HR),malondialdehyde (MDA),superoxide dismutase (SOD),glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX),myeloid differentiation factor-88 (MyD-88),and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in the lung tissue were also examined.In addition,circulating levels of interleukin-β and tumor necrosis factor-α were measured during the ischemia-reperfusion process.Results In comparison to adult lungs,the infant lungs had more increased neutrophil infiltration,edema,swelled alveolar epithelial and endothelial cells,and severer mitochondrial impairment reflected by damage of the inner membrane as well as decrease in the membrane potential after ischemia-reperfusion.The lungs in infant animals subjected to sham operation displayed higher levels of ROS-HR and MDA and lower levels of SOD and GSH-PX than those in adult controls.The lungs in infants with ischemia-reperfusion were found to further produce more ROS-HR,and MDA,and less SOD and GSH-PX than the ischemia-reperfused adult lungs.Moreover,the circulating levels of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α were elevated during the period of ischemia-reperfusion,particularly in the infant animals,which appeared to be associated with the expression of MyD-88 and NF-κB in the lungs.Conclusion Lung ischemia-reperfusion causes more severe lung damage in infants than in adults,probably due to combination of low antioxidant capacity and overproduction of ROS in infants.

Objective To make an interpretation for the time-related evolving process of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal of hepatic tumors after microwave ablation (MWA) treatment.Methods A total of 56 patients with malignant hepatic tumors (56 lesions in total) were enrolled in this study.Upper abdominal MRI plain scan and enhanced scan were performed in all patients at the second day,one month and 6 months after MWA treatment.The MRI signal features of ablation zones at different time points on T1WI,T2WI,DWI as well as on contrast-enhanced T1WI were documented,and the judgment of whether there was tumor recurrence was made.Results Two days after MWA,the ablation zone was manifested as target-like structure on T1WI and T2WI,which was characterized by central high signal ablation zone with low signal band around on T1WI and low signal ablation zone surrounded by high signal band on T2WI.One and 6 months after MWA,the volume of ablation area was atrophied,the target-like structure could still be observed on T1WI and T2WI,and the signal of ablation zone became intensified.Contrast-enhanced MRI revealed that abnormal high perfusion sign could be observed around the ablation zone,and on MRI scans performed at two days,one and 6 months after MWA,the ablation zone showed no enhancement.DWI indicated that two days after MWA the signal around the ablation zone was heightened,which decreased gradually in one and 6 months after MWA.Conclusion The signal of the ablation zone of hepatic tumor after MWA is evolving over time.Correct interpretation of MRI signal of ablation zone is helpful for the judgment of curative effect and for the making of therapeutic plan.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of circumferential strain and strain rate in estimating the carotid elasticity. Methods Thirty-five consecutive patients of hypertension were enrolled in this study as the patient group and 36 healthy volunteers whose ages were matched with the patient group were included as controls. The intima-media thickness(IMT) of common carotid arteries of both the patients and controls were measured using RF-Data technique of ultrasound vascular measurement and the following traditional parameters reflecting common carotid elasticity were obtained: pulse wave velocity (PWV),arterial compliance (AC). While the new parameters reflecting vascular strain including endovascular longitudinal strain(EN-LS), endovascular circumferential strain(EN-CS), endovascular longitudinal strain rate(EN-LSR) ,endovascular circumferential strain rate(EN-CSR), adventitial longitudinal strain(EP-LS),adventitial circumferential strain ( EP-CS ), adventitial longitudinal strain rate ( EP-LSR ), adventitial circumferential strain rate(EP-CSR) were collected using the technique of X-strain. All the corresponding parameters were compared between hypertensive group and controls. The correlations between elasticity and hemodynamic parameters were analyzed. Results In the hypertension patients,PWV was higher while AC,EN-CS,EN-CSR,EP-CS and EP-CSR were lower than that of the control group( P ＜0.05). No significant differences were detected in the longitudinal strain and strain rate. In the hypertension group,AC correlated positively with PWV, while EN-CS, EN-CSR, EP-CS and EP-CSR correlated negatively with PWV and positively with AC. Conclusions Circumferential strain and strain rate conform well to the mechanical principle and the characteristic anatomic and histological structure of the vessels and may be used to reflect the early changes of the vascular elasticity.

Objective To assess the left ventricular function of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by speckle tracking imaging (STI).Methods 75 AMI patients who had AMI for the first time and have been treated by primary PCI were enrolled.Dynamic images were acquired before PCI,at 6 months after PCI and analyzed by STI.Dynamic images were analyzed for longitudinal peak systolic strain (LPSS),radial peak systolic strain (RPSS) and circumferential peak systolic strain (CPSS) values by STI.According to the comparison of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) before PCI and 6 months after PCI,patients were divided into left ventricular function improved group (△LVEF≥5％) and not-improved group.Results Compared to non-improved group,LPSS (P ＜0.001),RPSS (P ＜0.05,P ＜0.001) and CPSS (P ＜0.001) of improved group were all higher before and 6 months after PCI.LPSS (r =-0.578,P ＜0.001) and CPSS (r =-0.817,P ＜0.001) before PCI were both closely related to △LVEF.In single parameter mode of ROC curve analysis,the area under the ROC curve (AUC) (0.867),sensitivity (94.7％) and specificity (74.4％) of CPSS are relatively higher than other STI parameters.In multiple parameters united mode of ROC curve analysis,AUC (0.897),sensitivity (94.7％) and specificity (74.4％) of LPSS,RPSS and CPSS united were the highest among all the combinations of all STI parameters.Conclusions Left ventricular function improvement of patients with AMI 6 months after PCI is accurately assessed and predicted by STI.CPSS is a strong predictor for left ventricular function improvement 6 months after PCI of AMI patients among all the STI parameters and is an effective indicator for the assessment of left ventricular function improvement of AMI patients.

AIMTo prepare the combined system of diltiazem hydrochloride delayed-onset sustained-release pellets in order to make time-specific drug delivery system. The drug can release from the system sustained after a predetermined lag time, and the release behavior can continue till 24 hour after administrating the formulation. According to the concept of chronotherapy, the combined system is useful to improve the pharmacotherapy of cardiovascular diseases.

METHODSThe velocity-time curve of the drug release from the multiple-unit system containing pellets was consistent with the fluctuation curve following time of blood pressure and heart ratio. So the velocity-time curve was selected to describe the release behavior of the combined system. The velocity-time equation describing the release behavior of two kinds of pellets was deduced by non-linear least square model fit. And zero-order kinetics equation was adopted to fit the release behavior of different combinations which were composed of different proportion of two kinds of pellets. The velocity-time equation describing the release behavior of the combinations was deduced by non-linear least square model fit, too. The difference of combinations in velocity-time curves between theoretical value and test value was compared.

RESULTSThe results showed that the test values were closely approximate to the theoretical values. Therefore, the multiple unit drug delivery system can be described by adding the velocity-time equations of different pellets to calculate the theoretical equations.

CONCLUSIONA multiple-unit combined system containing different coated pellets, as a novel delayed-onset sustained-release system, was prepared. Then a time-specific drug delivery system has been made. The programmed drug delivery system could be predicted by adding the velocity-time equation of each kind of pellets to calculate the theoretical equations. characterized by mathematics equation. The release behavior of pellets system could be characterized by mathematics equation.

Capsules ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Diltiazem ; administration & dosage ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Mathematics ; Models, Chemical ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods