Objective: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) involves a variety of visual symptoms that are thought to be partially caused by structural abnormalities of the retina. However, the relationship between retinal structural changes, disease severity, and intracranial alterations remains unknown. We investigated distinct retinal thinning patterns and their relationship with clinical severity and intracranial alterations in a PSP cohort. Methods: We enrolled 19 patients with PSP (38 eyes) and 20 age-matched healthy controls (40 eyes). All of the participants underwent peripapillary and macular optical coherence tomography. Brain 11C-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-fluorophenyl) tropane (11C-CFT) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography imaging were also performed in patients with PSP. We investigated the association between retinal thickness changes and clinical features, striatal dopamine transporter availability, and cerebral glucose metabolism. Results: The peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and macula were significantly thinner in patients with PSP than in controls. The thickness of the superior sector of the pRNFL demonstrated a significant negative relationship with the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale part III and Hoehn and Yahr staging scale scores. A significant negative correlation was found between outer inferior macular thickness and disease duration. Outer temporal macular thickness was positively correlated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores. In PSP, lower outer temporal macular thickness was also positively correlated with decreased dopamine transporter binding in the caudate. Conclusion The pRNFL and macular thinning may be candidate markers for monitoring disease severity. Additionally, macular thinning may be an in vivo indicator of nigrostriatal dopaminergic cell degeneration in PSP patients.

This study aimed to explore the potentiating effect and mechanism of the extract of Jingfang Granules(JFG) on the activation of macrophages. The RAW264.7 cells were treated with JFG extract and then stimulated by multiple agents. Subsequently, mRNA was extracted, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was used to measure the mRNA transcription of multiple cytokines in RAW264.7 cells. The levels of cytokines in the cell supernatant were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). In addition, the intracellular proteins were extracted and the activation of signaling pathways was determined by Western blot. The results showed that JFG extract alone could not promote or slightly promote the mRNA transcription of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, MIP-1α, MCP-1, CCL5, IP-10, and IFN-β, and significantly enhance the mRNA transcription of these cytokines in RAW264.7 cells induced by R848 and CpG in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, JFG extract also potentiated the secretion of TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, and IFN-β by RAW264.7 cells stimulated with R848 and CpG. As revealed by mechanism analysis, JFG extract enhanced the phosphorylation of p38, ERK1/2, IRF3, STAT1, and STAT3 in RAW264.7 cells induced by CpG. The findings of this study indicate that JFG extract can selectively potentiate the activation of macrophages induced by R848 and CpG, which may be attributed to the promotion of the activation of MAPKs, IRF3, and STAT1/3 signaling pathways.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/metabolism* ; Plant Extracts/metabolism* ; Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Macrophages ; Cytokines/metabolism* ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism*

AIM: To analyze the stability of different concentrations of fluorescein sodium solution on the detection of tear break-up time(TBUT).METHODS:A retrospective study. A total of 150 cases(150 eyes)who came to our dry eye clinic with good cooperation from August 2019 to September 2021 were selected for the study, and the subjects were randomly divided into five groups, which were fluorescein sodium(FLS, 0.5%), FLS(1.0%), FLS(1.5%), FLS(2.0%)and fluorescein sodium parallel(FLSP), with 30 patients in each group(all the right eyes were the subject eyes). Each group was dripped with the corresponding fluorescein sodium. The FLSP group was the fluorescent test strip detection group. The slit lamp image scores of different concentration groups were compared, the survival time of sodium fluorescein at the instant, 2, 5, 10, 15 and 30min points was observed in each group, and the mean value of TBUT in each group was recorded.RESULTS: The image score of FLS(0.5%)group was significantly higher than that of the other four groups(t=7.746, 21.483, 116.190, 38.730, all P<0.01). The image score of FLS(1.0%)group was significantly higher than that of FLS(1.5%)and FLS(2.0%)group(t=10.742, 15.492, all P<0.01). The survival time of fluorescein in FLS(0.5%)group was significantly shorter than that of the other four groups(t=8.226, 7.458, 9.159, 12.347, all P<0.01). The survival time of fluorescein in FLS(1.5%)group was significantly longer than that of FLS(1.0%)and FLS(2.0%)group(t=15.428, 13.274, all P<0.05). TBUT in FLS(0.5%)group was significantly higher than that of the other four groups at 2min(t=22.767, 22.345, 15.494, 17.213, all P<0.01), and was significantly lower than that of the other four groups at 10min(t=23.266, 25.353, 10.183, 22.025, all P<0.01). The mean first TBUT of FLS(1.5%)group was significantly shorter than that of the other four groups(t=25.236, 21.374, 19.658, 72.341, all P<0.01), and the mean first TBUT of FLSP group was significantly longer than that of the other four groups(t=22.487, 30.267, 60.247, 40.857, all P<0.01). There was no significant correlation between TBUT and ocular surface disease index(OSDI)and tear river height(rs=-0.072, 0.219, P=0.689, 0.112). TBUT was positively correlated with tear secretion(rs=0.674, P<0.01).CONCLUSION: FLS(0.5%)had higher image quality but it was only suitable for observing staining within 5min, and the FLSP group was more suitable for clinical observation of corneal fluorescence staining for a longer period; FLS(1.5%)was the most stable and reliable concentration and dose for the detection of TBUT.

Objective To evaluate the risk factors and sonographic findings of pregnancies complicated by placenta increta or placenta percreta. Methods Totally, 2219 cases were retrospectively analyzed from 20 tertiary hospitals in China from January 2011 to December 2015. The data were collected based on the original case records. All cases were divided into two groups, the placenta increta (PI) group (79.1％, 1755/2219) and the placenta percreta (PP) group (20.9％, 464/2219), according to the degree of placental implantation. The risk factors and sonographic findings of placenta increta or percreta were analyzed by uni-factor and logistic regression statistic methods. Results The risk factors associated with the degree of placental implantation were age, gravida, previous abortion or miscarriage, previous cesarean sections, and placenta previa (all P<0.05), especially, previous cesarean sections (χ2=157.961) and placenta previa (χ2=91.759). Sonographic findings could be used to predict the degree of placental invasion especially the boundaries between placenta and uterine serosa, the boundary between placenta and myometrium, the disruption of the placental-uterine wall interface and loss of the normal retroplacental hypoechoic zone(all P<0.01). Conclusions Previous cesarean sections and placenta previa are the main independent risk factors associated with the degree of placenta implantation. Ultrasound could be used to make a prenatal suggestive diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum disorders.

OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical characteristics of peripheral blood, immune phenotypes, fusion genes and cytogenetics of patients with t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia(AML) through the retrospective analysis of 586 patients with t(8;21) AML from 15 blood disease research centers in Northern area of China.

METHODSThe factors affecting prognosis of patients with t(8;21) AML were investigated by using univariate and multivariate COX regression.

RESULTSThe immune type of t(8;21) AML patients was mainly with HLA-DR, CD117, CD34, MPO, CD38, CD13and CD33(>95%), part of them with CD19and CD56; the most common accompanied mutation of t(8;21) AML patients was C-KIT mutation (37.8%); in addition to t(8;21) ectopic, the most common chromosomal abnormality was sex chromosome deletions (38.9%). The univariate analysis revealed a significant survival superiority of OS and PFS in t(8;21) AML patients of WBC≤3.5×10/L without C-KIT mutation, the newly diagnosed ones achieved HSCT(P<0.05), only survival superiority on OS in t(8;21) AML patients with extramedullary infiltration and CD19 positive; the results of multivariate analysis showed a significant survival superiority on OS and PFS in t(8;21) AML patients with WBC≤3.5×10/L(P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe clinical features of t(8;21) AML patients in China are similar to those in other countries, WBC≤3.5×10/L is a good prognostic factor while the C-KIT mutation is a poor one in t(8;21) AML patients.

Objective To investigate the effect of lung ischemic preconditioning (IP) on the expression of aquaporin-1 (AQP1) during lung ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) induced by cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in dogs.Methods Twelve adult mongrel dogs,weighing 15-20 kg,were randomly divided into 2 groups (n =6 each):lung I/R (group I/R) and ischemic preconditioning group (group IP).The left pulmonary artery was occluded at 10 min of off-pump CPB and mechanical ventilation was stopped in the left lung,60 min later occlusion was released,and mechanical ventilation was recovered to establish the model of left lung ischemia-reperfusion injury induced by CPB.In group IP,lung ischemic preconditioning was induced by 2 cycles of 5 min ischemia followed by 5 min reperfusion before occlusion of the left pulmonary artery.Before CPB (T1),immediately after occlusion of the left pulmonary artery (T2),at the end of CPB (T3),and at 2 h after the end of CPB (T4),pulmonary specimens were collected for determination of wet to dry lung weight ratio (W/D ratio) and expression of AQP1 and for examination of the pathological changes of lungs which were scored.Respiration index (RI),oxygenation index (OI),and alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference (P(A-a)O2) were calculated at T1,T3 and T4,and the left pulmonary alveolar fluid clearance (AFC) was calculated at T4.Results Compared with group I/R,P(A-a) O2 and RI were significantly decreased,OI was increased,W/D ratio and pathological scores were decreased,the expression of AQP1 was up-regulated,and the AFC was increased at T3 and T4 in group IP.The pathological changes of the lung were significantly attenuated in group IP as compared with group I/R.Conclusion The mechanism by which lung ischemic preconditioning mitigates lung I/R injury induced by CPB is related to upregulation of the expression of AQP1 in dog lung tissues.

OBJECTIVETo study the metabolic changes of auditory cortex in patients with presbycusis by using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS).

METHODSTen normal hearing volunteers (youth group), 10 normal hearing of elderly (aged group) and 8 patients with presbycusis (presbycusis group) were checked with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. N-acetylaspartic acid (NAA), creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid (Glu) compound were measured. The differences between the groups were semi-quantitatively analyzed.

RESULTSWhen compared with youth group, reduced NAA/Cr, increased Cho/Cr were found in the aged group and presbycusis group (P < 0.05). GABA/Cr ratio and Glu/Cr ratio were significant difference between presbycusis group and youth group (P < 0.05). There were no significant difference in the GABA/Cr and Glu/Cr ratios in the bilateral auditory cortex between the youth group and the aged group (P > 0.05). When compared with aged group, the metabolic changes of auditory cortex in patients with presbycusis were remarkable (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS(1)H-MRS is a noninvasive technique that can provide useful information concerning the metabolic changes of auditory cortex in human. In comparison to the aged group and the youth group, the changes of NAA, GABA, Cho and Glu is found in auditory cortex in patients with presbycusis.

Adult ; Aged ; Aspartic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism ; Auditory Cortex ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Choline ; metabolism ; Creatine ; metabolism ; Female ; Glutamic Acid ; metabolism ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Presbycusis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Young Adult ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; metabolism

Objective To study the metabolic changes of auditory cortex in patients with presbycusis by using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(1H-MRS). Methods Ten normal hearing volunteers(youth group),10 normal hearing of elderly (aged group) and 8 patients with presbycusis (presbycusis group ) were checked with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. N-acetylaspartic acid ( NAA),creatine ( Cr),choline ( Cho),γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA),glutamic acid ( Glu ) compound were measured.The differences between the groups were semi-quantitatively analyzed.Results When compared with youth group,reduced NAA/Cr,increased Cho/Cr were found in the aged group and presbycusis group (P ＜ 0.05 ). GABA/Cr ratio and Glu/Cr ratio were significant difference between presbycusis group and youth group(P ＜ 0.05 ). There were no significant difference in the GABA/Cr and Glu/Cr ratios in the bilateral auditory cortex between the youth group and the aged group(P ＞ 0.05 ).When compared with aged group,the metabolic changes of auditory cortex in patients with presbycusis were remarkable ( P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions 1H-MRS is a noninvasive technique that can provide useful information concerning the metabolic changes of auditory cortex in human. In comparison to the aged group and the youth group,the changes of NAA,GABA,Cho and Glu is found in auditory cortex in patients with presbycusis.

Objective To analyze the change of urinary iodine in a cohort of intervention trial and to observe the role of different doses on salt iodization and related impact factors on nutritional condition of iodine. Methods Multistage cluster sampling was used to sample three townships in two counties for community intervention with different doses (15 ± 5, 25 ± 5, 35 ± 5)mg/kg. Results Compared to the (35 ± 5)mg/kg group, the urine iodine levels of three experimental townships were gradually declining in county B when time went on, and the (15 ± 5) mg/kg group showed anobvious results, at 6,12,18 and 24 months, with the urine iodine level as 180.00,186.10,150.04,191.28 μg/L respectively, which were in accordance with the WHO standard and reached to appropriate range (187.96μg/L) at the 18 month. The townships at county Y under intervention had declined slightly, but the urine iodine levels did not reach the WHO standard. The thyroid volume declined from 3.65 ml to 3.40 ml in two counties and the difference between them was statistically significant. Conclusion To some extent, reducing the iodine concentration in salt, had a role of lowering the urine iodine level and reducing the strumous rate.