AIM: To evaluate clinical efficacy of recombinant human epidermal growth factor(rhEGF)combined with adjuvant amniotic membrane transplantation in corneal alkaline burns. METHODS:In the prospective, randomized controlled study, patients with corneal alkaline burns treated in the hospital were enrolled between November 2022 and November 2024. After emergency treatment, patients were divided into combined treatment group and routine treatment group by random number table method. The routine treatment group was given basic treatment(rhEGF), while combined treatment group additionally underwent adjuvant amniotic membrane transplantation. The clinical efficacy, healing time of corneal epithelium, best corrected visual acuity, VAS scores, corneal neovascularization area, break-up time, score of corneal opacity, and levels of inflammatory factors(IL-6, hs-CRP, TNF-α)in the two groups were observed and compared. RESULTS:There were 110 patients(110 eyes)in this study, including 55 cases(55 eyes)in each group. The combination group had a mean age of 46.82±10.38 y, including 26 males and 29 females. The routine treatment group had a mean age of 45.13±11.57 y, with 31 males and 24 females. The total response rate of combined treatment group [94.5%(52/55)] was significantly higher than that of routine treatment group [81.8%(45/55), P<0.05]. The healing time of corneal epithelium in combined treatment group was significantly shorter than that in routine treatment group(P<0.001), and VAS score for pain severity after treatment was significantly lower than that in routine treatment group(P<0.001). The corneal neovascularization area in combined treatment group was significantly smaller than that in routine treatment group(P<0.001), break-up time was significantly longer than that in routine treatment group(P<0.001),and score of corneal opacity was significantly lower than that in routine treatment group(P<0.001). After treatment, levels of inflammatory factors in combined treatment group were significantly lower than those in routine treatment group(all P<0.05). CONCLUSION:Adjuvant amniotic membrane transplantation combined with rhEGF presents prominent clinical advantages in the treatment of alkaline corneal burns. It can enhance therapeutic efficacy, accelerate wound healing, relieve pain, reduce corneal neovascularization, prolong tear film break-up time, alleviate corneal opacification, and reduce the levels of inflammatory factors.

AIM: This study was designed to investigate the effects of sodium restriction and sodium supplementation on the expression of angiotensinogen mRNA in myocardium of rats with congestive heart failure(CHF).METHODS: Radioimmunassay and in situ hybridization techniques were used to determine the angiotensin Ⅱ(AngⅡ)contents and the expression of angiotensinogen(ANG)mRNA in myocardium, respectively.RESULTS: In sodium restricted group, the plasma sodium was obviously lower than that in CHF group(P

AIM: To investigate the expression of angiotensinogen (ANG)mRNA and the changes of AngⅡ content in rat anterior pituitary during acute stress.METHODS: The expression of ANG mRNA was determined using in situ hybridization technique, and the AngⅡ content were determined by RIA.RESULTS: The ANG mRNA expression and AngⅡ content were significantly increased, and ANG mRNA was increased more significantly than AngⅡ content. CONCLUSION: The local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in anterior pituitary is obviously activated during stress, which strongly supports the view that local RAS contributes to stress reaction.