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Tong Lin,1 Lan Gong,1 Xing-huai Sun,1 Nai-qing Zhao,2 Wei Chen,3 Hui-ping Yuan,4 Yan Shao,5 Ming-hong Gao,6 Hai Tang71Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Biostatistics and Social Medicine, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3The School of Ophthalmology and Optometry Affiliated with Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China; 4The Second Affiliated Hospital of Haerbin Medical University, Haerbin, People’s Republic of China; 5The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, People’s Republic of China; 6General hospital of Shenyang Military Command, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China; 7Shenyang SINQI Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, Shenyang, People’s Republic of ChinaObjectives: Parallel comparison with 0.15% ganciclovir (GCV) ophthalmic gel to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 0.15% GCV in situ ophthalmic gel for the treatment of herpes simplex keratitis (HSK).Methods: This was a multicenter, randomized, investigator-masked, parallel group study. HSK patients were randomly divided into two groups, with the corresponding treatment of 0.15% GCV ophthalmic gel or 0.15% GCV in situ ophthalmic gel. Symptoms and signs were observed before administration, and 3 (±1), 7 (±1), 14 (±2), and 21 (±3) days after the administration. The clinical effective rate was considered as the primary outcome. The safety profile was evaluated by AEs, visual acuity, and ocular tolerance.Results: The clinical effective rate in the per-protocol (PP) dataset for the treatment group and the control group were 95.10% and 93.00%, respectively (P = 0.5282). The noninferiority test showed significant differences (P = 0.000305, P < 0.025), indicating that the tested drug was noninferior to the control. Patients in the PP dataset of both groups experienced decreases in the total scores of clinical indicators. Ocular AEs were few but similar between the two groups. There were no significant differences between patients’ visions between the two groups before and after administration in the safety analysis set. In terms of drug tolerance, the rates of patients without transient blurred vision during all the visits in the treatment group were higher than those for the control group (P < 0.05). During the third and fourth visits, the rates of patients with eye itching were 4.08% and 1.22% in the treatment group, and 13.59% and 8.14% in the control group, respectively (P < 0.05). During the second visit, the rates of patients with eye irritation were 14.42% in the treatment group and 25.71% in the control group (P < 0.05).Conclusion: The 0.15% GCV in situ ophthalmic gel was effective and safe for the treatment of HSK, and was not inferior to 0.15% GCV ophthalmic gel. The 0.15% GCV in situ ophthalmic gel presented superior ocular tolerance.Keywords: virus keratitis, herpes simplex virus 1, ganciclovir in situ ophthalmic gel, treatment

Objective: To investigate the anatomical structure changes of the anterior segment and dynamic pupil changes in eyes with suspected primary angle-closure (PACS) under light and dark conditions, and their correlation with the occurrence of acute primary angle-closure (APAC). Methods: This cross-sectional study collected data from 37 PACS patients (66 eyes) who visited the ophthalmology clinic of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University between September 2019 and March 2021. The patients included 12 males and 25 females, with an average age of (61.27±7.35) years. Of the 66 eyes, 58 had no history of APAC in the contralateral eye, while 8 had a history of APAC in the contralateral eye. Patients without a history of APAC in both eyes underwent the dark room prone provocative test (DRPPT), and the eyes were divided into three groups: DRPPT- (44 eyes), DRPPT+ (14 eyes), and APAC (8 eyes). The DRPPT+ and APAC groups were combined into the APAC+ group. All patients underwent ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) to measure the changes in various parameters under light and dark conditions, including anterior chamber angle 500 (ACA 500Δ ) and 1000 (ACA 1000Δ ), angle opening distance 500 (AOD 500Δ ) and 1000 (AOD 1000Δ ), and iris thickness 500 (IT 500Δ ) and 1000 (IT 1000Δ ). Anterior segment analysis was performed to capture the pupil changes under light and dark conditions, recording pupil diameter, maximum dilation speed (V max ), maximum constriction speed (V min ), and average speed (V m ). Results: There was no significant difference in the parameters between DRPPT+ group and APAC group ( P> 0.05). In the difference analysis, it was found that the V m value of DRPPT- group [(0.17±0.07) mm/s] was higher than that of APAC+ group [(0.13±0.06)mm/s], and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). There was no significant difference in other parameters ( P >0.05). V max was positively correlated with temporal ACA 1000Δ and temporal AOD 1000Δ in all patients with PACS ( r =0.302, 0.260; P <0.05), V min was negatively correlated with temporal ACA 1000Δ and temporal AOD 1000Δ ( r =-0.338, -0.330; P <0.05). Conclusions: The dynamic changes in the anterior segment and pupil under different lighting conditions provide insights into the risk factors and potential predictive indicators for the occurrence of APAC in PACS patients.

Aims: This study aims to explore blood glucose variations before and after short-term intensive exercise in the morning or afternoon of a day and the trend of blood glucose fluctuations during exercise in patients with T2DM (type 2 diabetes, T2DM)., Methods: Blood glucose variations of Fouty during morning exercise 8:00-12:00 hours and twenty during afternoon exercise 14:30-18:30 hours). Patients with T2DM discharged from the hospital were analyzed retrospectively, with the baseline data checked through the medical record system before intervention. We were asked to perform seven times of treadmill aerobic exercise, which lasted for 30 minutes with incremental intensity for each time, for two weeks under the supervision of the Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) and the heart rate armband. The exercise intensity has been adjusted by the clinicians and specialist nurses from the Department of Diabetes Mellitus according to the blood glucose levels and heart rate curves during exercise; data including the height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, in-exercise CGM-measured blood glucose value/min, and after-exercise fingertip blood glucose value of patients with T2DM were collected after the intensive exercise (2 weeks). SPSS 22.0 and GraphPad Prism 7 were adopted for statistical analysis using the T-test and ANOVA., Result: No difference was observed in the baseline data between the morning and afternoon exercise groups before intervention; compared to the morning exercise group, the fasting C-peptide value (2.15±0.97 vs. 1.53±0.46) in the afternoon exercise group was higher than that in the morning exercise group, with a superior (p=0.029) effect after two weeks of intervention, exhibiting a significant difference in the results. According to the results of repeated variance ANOVA analysis, the time for the appearance of significant improvement in blood glucose in the afternoon exercise group was 5 minutes earlier (11th minute vs 1 minute)than that in the morning exercise group (15th minute vs 1 min); significant differences were observed in both time (p=0.048 vs p<0.01) between the two groups on exercise days, as revealed by the results of bivariate ANOVA; in comparison to the morning exercise group (7.42±1.68), there was a significant difference (p=0.049)in the mean blood glucose between the two groups 25 min after patients with T2DM in the afternoon exercise group (6.25±1.53) started to exercise; in addition, a significant statistical difference (p=0.021) was revealed in the CGM-measured hourly the mean blood glucose on exercise days between the morning(8.18±1.88) and afternoon exercise (6.75±1.40)groups at 4:00 pm in week one and two w., Conclusions: Glycaemic improvement in the short-term intensive afternoon exercise group may be superior to that of the morning exercise group, which may be related to greater fasting C-peptide secretion and longer effective exercise duration. The time to exercise is a factor affecting blood glucose variations during exercise. However, significant variations in the level of blood glucose during exercise must be further observed through exercise intervention over a more extended period., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors disclosed no relevant relationships., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Polarization of microglia, the resident retinal immune cells, plays important roles in mediating both injury and repair responses post-retinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, which is one of the main pathological mechanisms behind ganglion cell apoptosis. Aging could perturb microglial balances, resulting in lowered post-I/R retinal repair. Young bone marrow (BM) stem cell antigen 1-positive (Sca-1 + ) cells have been demonstrated to have higher reparative capabilities post-I/R retinal injury when transplanted into old mice, where they were able to home and differentiate into retinal microglia., Methods: Exosomes were enriched from young Sca-1 + or Sca-1 - cells, and injected into the vitreous humor of old mice post-retinal I/R. Bioinformatics analyses, including miRNA sequencing, was used to analyze exosome contents, which was confirmed by RT-qPCR. Western blot was then performed to examine expression levels of inflammatory factors and underlying signaling pathway proteins, while immunofluorescence staining was used to examine the extent of pro-inflammatory M1 microglial polarization. Fluoro-Gold labelling was then utilized to identify viable ganglion cells, while H&E staining was used to examine retinal morphology post-I/R and exosome treatment., Results: Sca-1 + exosome-injected mice yielded better visual functional preservation and lowered inflammatory factors, compared to Sca-1 - , at days 1, 3, and 7 days post-I/R. miRNA sequencing found that Sca-1 + exosomes had higher miR-150-5p levels, compared to Sca-1 - exosomes, which was confirmed by RT-qPCR. Mechanistic analysis found that miR-150-5p from Sca-1 + exosomes repressed the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 3 (MEKK3)/JNK/c-Jun axis, leading to IL-6 and TNF-α downregulation, and subsequently reduced microglial polarization, all of which contributes to reduced ganglion cell apoptosis and preservation of proper retinal morphology., Conclusion: This study elucidates a potential new therapeutic approach for neuroprotection against I/R injury, via delivering miR-150-5p-enriched Sca-1 + exosomes, which targets the miR-150-5p/MEKK3/JNK/c-Jun axis, thereby serving as a cell-free remedy for treating retinal I/R injury and preserving visual functioning., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: To investigate the relationship between serum lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) level and the health index of the elderly. Methods: A total of 251 subjects were selected from the 2016 baseline survey of the Yongfu Longevity Cohort in Guangxi Province among whom 66, 63 and 122 were in the young and middle-aged group (≤59 years old), the young group (60-89 years old) and the longevity group (≥90 years old), respectively. Demographic data were collected and related indicators of height, weight, blood pressure and lipid metabolism were measured. The cognitive and physical functions of the elderly were assessed by the results of the simple mental state scale and the daily living activity scale to construct the health index of the elderly. The serum levels of LPC16∶0, LPC18∶0, LPC18∶1 and LPC18∶2 were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and the differences among different ages and health status groups were compared. The logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between the serum LPC level and the health index of the elderly. Results: With the increase in age, the proportion of female subjects increased, and the rate of smoking and drinking decreased. BMI, TC, TG, LDL-C, diastolic blood pressure, and the four LPCs levels decreased with the increase of age, and systolic blood pressure levels increased with the increase of age (all P values<0.05). There was no significant difference in HDL-C levels among age groups ( P >0.05). With the decline of health status in the elderly, serum levels of LPC16∶0, LPC18∶0, LPC18∶1 and LPC18∶2 showed a downward trend (all P values<0.001). After adjusting for age and gender, only LPC18∶0 was associated with the health status in old age [ OR (95% CI ): 0.48 (0.25-0.92)]. For every 1 standard deviation (16.87 nmol/L) increase in serum LPC18∶0 concentration, the risk of poor health status in old age decreased by 52%. Conclusion: Serum LPC18∶0 was associated with the health status in old age independent of age and sex.

International research on healthy life expectancy (HALE) focuses on inequality of socioeconomic status and individual natural attributes. With the acceleration of population ageing and the increase in average life expectancy, the extension of unhealthy life expectancy and the increase of social and economic burden caused by diseases have gradually attracted the attention of countries around the world. Therefore, the evaluation of disease factors affecting HALE is a meaningful direction in the future. This study introduces the development process and commonly used measurement methods of HALE. According to the definition of health from the Global Burden of Disease Study and World Health Organization, physical and mental diseases such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, malignant tumors and depression were selected to summarize the impact of these diseases and pre-disease states on HALE. It is expected to provide a theoretical basis for the formulation of relevant public health policies and the improvement of quality of life in China.

The reconstruction of tactile function during the repair of skin damage caused by factors including burns is inseparable from the functional regeneration of tactile receptor Merkel cells. Merkel cells mainly exist in the basal layer of the epidermis and are closely connected with nerves to form Merkel cell-nerve complexes, which play an important role in biological organisms. A large number of studies have shown that Merkel cells conduct precise transmission of mechanical force stimuli through the mechanically gated ion channels PIEZO2, and perform the function of tactile receptors. In this paper, we discussed the characteristics of Merkel cells and analyzed the different subgroups that may possibly exist in this type of cells and their functions, at the same time, we investigated the animal model research of touch-related diseases and the clinical diseases related to touch, revealing the importance of Merkel cell function research.

How the brain perceives objects and classifies perceived objects is one of the important goals of visual cognitive neuroscience. Previous research has shown that when we see objects, the brain's ventral visual pathway recognizes and classifies them, leading to different ways of interacting with them. In this paper, we summarize the latest research progress of the ventral visual pathway related to the visual classification of objects. From the perspective of the neural representation of objects and its underlying mechanisms in the visual cortex, we summarize the current research status of the two important organizational dimensions of object animacy and real-world size, provide new insights, and point out the direction of further research.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of assessing cognitive function of the elderly by serum metabolites of brain-gut axis. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to select 100 and 60 participants from the healthy population cohort and microecological balance cohort of the longevity population in Guangxi, to constitute subset of healthy population and longevity population, respectively. A questionnaire was used to investigate the demographic characteristics of the subjects, 2-5 ml of fasting venous blood was collected from the subjects, and the serum untargeted metabolomics was determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The biomarkers related to the brain-gut axis were collected through literature retrieval, and the results were intersected with the untargeted metabolites and annotated. Spearman correlation analysis was used to screen serum metabolites of brain-gut axis associated with aging, and multiple linear regression method was used to construct biological age model. The mini mental status examination was used to evaluate the cognitive function of longevity population subsets. The differences of biological age and chronological age of longevity population subsets with different cognitive function were compared. Results: The M ( Q 1 , Q 3 ) of subset of healthy population and longevity population were 64 (38, 72) and 97 (95, 99) years old, respectively, and there were 50 (50.0%) and 44 (73.3%) females, respectively. Nine serum metabolites of brain-gut axis were obtained by initial screening, which were propionic acid, glutamic acid, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), lactic acid, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), tryptophan, trimethylamine oxide, dopamine and canine urea. Spearman correlation analysis showed that glutamic acid and dopamine were positively correlated with aging ( r values were 0.208 and 0.524, respectively, all P values<0.05), and tryptophan, 5-HT and GABA were negatively correlated with aging ( r values were -0.308, -0.533 and -0.213, respectively, all P values<0.05). The biological age model was constructed as: y =49.81-1.18×10 -5 × GABA-1.82×10 -4 ×5-HT+1.99×10 -3 ×dopamine+1.65×10 -6 ×glutamic acid -2.04×10 -6 ×tryptophan+2.36×gender, where y was the biological age (years), the items on the right were the intercept item, the relative concentration of each metabolite, and gender (male=1, female=2). The coefficient of determination of model was 0.50 ( P <0.001). The M ( Q 1 , Q 3 ) of the chronological age of the subset of longevity population with poor, moderate and good cognitive function were 97 (94, 100), 97 (93, 101) and 96 (94, 101) years old, respectively, and there was no statistical significance in pairwise comparison (all P values>0.05). The M ( Q 1 , Q 3 ) of the biological age of the subjects with better cognitive function was 51 (38, 54) years old, which was lower than that of the subjects with poor cognitive function [57 (47, 61)] ( P =0.040). Conclusion: The biological age model can be constructed based on serum metabolites of brain-gut axis and used to evaluate the cognitive function of the elderly.

Objective: To construct an epigenetic clock model for assessing and calibrating human biological age. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to select 186 subjects from the longevity cohort of Guangxi Zhuang Antonornous Region from July 1 to November 30, 2019, and 124 subjects from the physical examination population of the Seventh Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital from October 1 to December 31, 2020. Self-designed questionnaire was applied to collect demographic characteristics and family history of disease. Physical examination was applied to determine heart rate and blood pressure. Fasting peripheral venous blood was drawn for determination of fasting plasma glucose, plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride, plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and telomere length. Methylation levels of EDARADD cg09809672, IPO8 cg19722847, NHLRC1 cg22736354, P2RX6 cg05442902 and SCGN cg06493994 were detected by targeted methylation site sequencing. A total of 54 subjects with unqualified quality control of DNA methylation and telomere length were excluded, and 256 subjects' data were finally analyzed. Trend test was used for the change of methylation level among different ages groups, multiple linear regression method was used to build prediction models of biological age. Kendal rank correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation of age gap (Gregorian calendar age minus biological age) with telomere length. Independent sample t -test was used to compare the health-related indicators between subjects with different age gap within different age groups. Results: The M ( Q 1 , Q 3 )of age of subjects were 67 (51, 91) years old, including 166 females (64.84%). With increase of age, the methylation levels of gene loci were decreased (EDARADD cg09809672, IPO8 cg19722847 and P2RX6 cg05442902) and increased (NHLRC1 cg22736354 and SCGN cg06493994) (all P values<0.05). The established biological age prediction model was as follows: Y =-53.121×EDARADD cg09809672-137.564×IPO8 cg19722847+141.040×NHLRC1 cg22736354-67.893×P2RX6 cg05442902+149.547×SCGNcg06493994+4.592×sex+64.185 ( R 2 =0.86, P <0.001), where Y was the biological age, and the items in the equation were methylation level, sex (male =1, female =2) and intercept in sequence. The Kendall rank correlation coefficient between age gap and telomere length was 0.731 ( P <0.001). Compared with the subjects whose age gaP<0, the subjects with age gaP≥0 had higher systolic blood pressure in adolescence [(88.50±8.89) and (109.83±9.48) mmHg, respectively, 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa]; lower TC [(5.48±0.23) and (3.98±0.54) mmol/L, respectively, ] and TG [(3.51±0.32) and (3.41±0.20) mmol/L] in young adults; lower fasting blood glucose in middle age [(6.17±0.67) and (5.37±0.79) mmol/L, respectively, ] and higher diastolic blood pressure in nonagenarian age [(76.99±6.78) and (83.97±9.36) mmHg, respectively, ] (all P values<0.05). Conclusion: The constructed epigenetic clock model can be used to evaluate and calibrate human biological age.

Glaucoma is the world's leading cause of irreversible blindness. As a chronic disease, it requires lifelong follow-up and management. In the long-term follow-up of glaucoma patients, a diagnosis and treatment management system is helpful. Despite the availability of various means of informationalized record management, there remain problems and challenges, like a lack of unified file management standards, data incompatibility, and barriers to inter-hospital data sharing, which lead to the failure to establish a comprehensive and standardized glaucoma record for patients. It is necessary to form a standardized management system so as to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, better maintain the visual function of patients and reduce the burden on society and family.

Glaucoma is a serious irreversible blinding disease. The pathogenesis is still unknown, and the diagnosis and treatment effect is not good. An effective early diagnosis method is urgently needed. In recent years, a number of glaucoma-related biomarkers have been discovered. In order to promote clinical application of these biomarkers, a series of studies are actively carried out to clarify specificity and sensitivity of these molecules, to verify the criteria by clinical randomized controlled trials, and to provide large sample data by multi-center clinical trials. However, the samples of these biomarkers are provided by patients who have been diagnosed with glaucoma by clinical examinations. The differences may represent the molecular features of middle-stage and advanced glaucoma. Whether they are helpful for early diagnosis and the exploration of pathological mechanisms should be further investigated. This article describes the potential molecular targets that can help in diagnosis of glaucoma from the aspects of DNA, RNA and protein, and discusses further research pathways and clinical application prospects. It is hoped to explore the effective molecular marker for early diagnosis of glaucoma. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 707-711) .

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and relevant factors among individuals characterized by their longevity in multiple regions of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and provide a valuable scientific perspective for the research in health and longevity of the elderly in Guangxi. Methods: Registration and face-to-face questionnaire on a door-to-door basis were adopted to collect the demographic characteristics of the long-lived individuals (≥90 years old) in Bama of Hechi city, Yongfu of Guilin city, Dongxing of Fangchenggang city, Guangxi. Then, among the local general population, individuals within the age group between 40 and 85 years old were selected randomly as controls. Correlations were then analyzed between the relative health and longevity of the subjects and their gender, ethnicity, family history, disease history, marital status, the number of family generations, the number of children, smoking, drinking, outdoor activities, sleep and other health-related factors, then the result was subject to further analysis by comparing the long-lived population and the control population respectively. Results: Among 691 500 of the permanent residents of Bama, Yongfu and Dongxing city, 1 005 cases were 90 years old and over with a ratio of 145.34 out of 100 000 persons; within the 1 005 cases, 944 were aged between 90 and 100 (longevity rate: 136.51/100 000) with an average age of (93.28±2.57); 61 cases were aged 100 or over, arriving at a centenarian rate of 8.82/100 000 with an average age of (102.00±3.05) years. Significant differences were found just among three particular factors - regional distribution ( P= 0.014), history of disease ( P= 0.002), four generations of family ( P= 0.008) between nonagenarians and centenarians ( P <0.05), while the other 15 indicators did not show anything noteworthy. The result indicated that longevity and centenarians might be the same group and then we combined both groups into one. By cross-comparison between the longevity-plus- centenarians and the control group in the region, factors listed below exhibited significant correlation with health and longevity: marital status ( OR= 26.469, 95% CI: 13.208-53.045), number of generations within the family ( OR= 5.419, 95% CI: 3.418-8.592), number of male offspring ( OR= 2.013, 95% CI: 1.555-2.607), number of female offspring ( OR= 1.380, 95% CI: 1.122-1.696), and the frequency of outdoor activities ( OR= 10.226, 95% CI: 3.164-33.045). Conclusions: The longevity rate is higher in the general natural population in Bama, Yongfu and Dongxing of Guangxi. The phenomenon may owe to favorable family structure, atmosphere within or out of the family or other elements related with social surrounding. Among them all, mentality, inclination to physical exercise and regular rhythm of life may all exert tremendous contributory influence here.

Objective: To explore the epidemiologic characteristics of long-lived population and influencing factors in Shanglin county of Guangxi and provide scientific basis for the study of health and longevity in Guangxi. Methods: We collected and analyzed the general demographic cross-sectional data of the long-lived individuals (≥90 years old) in 11 villages and towns by multi-source registration and face-to-face interview. The age group control design was adopted to conduct a comparison among the longevity group (90-100 years old), centenarian group (≥100 years old), the longevity plus centenarian group and control group (local population aged 40-85 years), and identify the factors related to longevity. Results: Among the 496 007 people registered in Shanglin, 1 533 were aged ≥90 years, including 1 453 in the longevity group, with an average age of (92.84±2.46) years, and 80 in the centenarian group, with an average age of (102.67±2.60) years. The spatial distribution of long-lived individuals and centenarians was mainly in the north and central areas, and sparse in southwest area. Analysis on factors related to health and longevity indicated that old people with Zhuang ethnic ( OR =1.551,95% CI :1.308-1.838), married ( OR =55.507,95% CI :36.087-85.377) and moderately high waist-to-hip ratio ( OR =258.056,95% CI :27.775-2 397.569), and SBP ( OR =1.019,95% CI :1.013-1.026) tended to live longer. Conclusions: We found that the rate of longevity in Shanglin was higher than the average level in Guangxi and China. Longevity in Shanglin country had unique spatial and population distribution characterics of female longevity more than male longevity, mainly Zhuang ethnic and so on. Being women, married, family history of longevity, appropriate high waist-to-hip ratio, SBP and blood sugar level might be positive factors for longevity in Shanglin, but the impacts of other factors on longevity need further study.

Introduction: Conventional gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy reports written by physicians are time consuming and might have obvious heterogeneity or omissions, impairing the efficiency and multicenter consultation potential. We aimed to develop and validate an image recognition-based structured report generation system (ISRGS) through a multicenter database and to assess its diagnostic performance., Methods: First, we developed and evaluated an ISRGS combining real-time video capture, site identification, lesion detection, subcharacteristics analysis, and structured report generation. White light and chromoendoscopy images from patients with GI lesions were eligible for study inclusion. A total of 46,987 images from 9 tertiary hospitals were used to train, validate, and multicenter test (6:2:2). Moreover, 5,699 images were prospectively enrolled from Qilu Hospital of Shandong University to further assess the system in a prospective test set. The primary outcome was the diagnosis performance of GI lesions in multicenter and prospective tests., Results: The overall accuracy in identifying early esophageal cancer, early gastric cancer, early colorectal cancer, esophageal varices, reflux esophagitis, Barrett's esophagus, chronic atrophic gastritis, gastric ulcer, colorectal polyp, and ulcerative colitis was 0.8841 (95% confidence interval, 0.8775-0.8904) and 0.8965 (0.8883-0.9041) in multicenter and prospective tests, respectively. The accuracy of cecum and upper GI site identification were 0.9978 (0.9969-0.9984) and 0.8513 (0.8399-0.8620), respectively. The accuracy of staining discrimination was 0.9489 (0.9396-0.9568). The relative error of size measurement was 4.04% (range 0.75%-7.39%)., Discussion: ISRGS is a reliable computer-aided endoscopic report generation system that might assist endoscopists working at various hospital levels to generate standardized and accurate endoscopy reports (http://links.lww.com/CTG/A485)., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American College of Gastroenterology.)

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of early organ injury in elderly patients with severe burns and the effects on the prognosis of patients. Methods: From January 2010 to August 2018, 62 patients with severe burns (43 men and 19 women, aged from 60 to 89 years at the time of admission) who were hospitalized in the Institute of Burn Research of the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University (the Third Military Medical University, hereinafter referred to as the author's affiliation), meeting the inclusion criteria, were included in elderly (E) group, and 124 patients with severe burns (86 men and 38 women, aged from 18 to 59 years at the time of admission) at the same term were included in young and middle-aged (YM) group. Treatment of patients in the 2 groups followed the conventional procedures of the author's affiliation. The following data of patients in the 2 groups were retrospectively analyzed. (1) Fluid replacement volume and urine volume within the first and second post injury hour (PIH) 24 were recorded. The levels of hemoglobin, haematocrit, and blood lactic acid at admission, PIH 24 and 48 were recorded. (2) The creatine kinase isozyme-MB (CK-MB), total bilirubin, blood creatinine, oxygenation index, and blood platelet count at admission, at shock stage, and on post injury day (PID) 3 to 7 were collected. (3) The days of seriously or critically ill and deaths were recorded. Data were processed with chi-square test, group t test, Mann-Whitney U test, analysis of variance for repeated measurement, and Bonferroni correction. Results: (1) There were no statistically significant differences in fluid replacement volume within the first and second PIH 24, and urine volume within the second PIH 24 between patients in the 2 groups ( t =0.351, 1.307, 1.110, P >0.05). The urine volume of patients in group E within the first PIH 24 was significantly less than that in group YM ( t =5.628, P <0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in levels of hemoglobin ( t =0.011, 1.075, 0.239), haematocrit ( t =0, 0.033, 0.199), and blood lactic acid ( t =0.017, 1.002, 0.739) at admission, PIH 24 and 48 between patients in the 2 groups ( P >0.05). (2) There were no statistically significant differences in levels of CK-MB at admission and on PID 3 to 7 between patients in the 2 groups ( t =0.069, 0.001, P >0.05). The level of CK-MB of patients in group E at shock stage was significantly higher than that in group YM ( t =4.017, P <0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in levels of total bilirubin at admission and on PID 3 to 7 between patients in the 2 groups ( t =0.227, 0.002, P >0.05). However, the level of total bilirubin of patients in group E at shock stage was significantly higher than that in group YM ( t =6.485, P <0.05). The levels of blood creatinine of patients in group E at admission and shock stage were significantly higher than those in group YM ( t =4.226, 12.299, P <0.05 or P <0.01), while there was no statistically significant difference between them on PID 3 to 7 ( t =0.693, P >0.05). The oxygenation indexes of patients in group E at admission and shock stage and on PID 3 to 7 [(371±16), (263±16), and (228±18) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)] were lower than (420±13), (327±13), and (281±17) mmHg of patients in group YM, respectively ( t =5.650, 9.782, 4.856, P <0.05 or P <0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in levels of blood platelet count at admission and shock stage between patients in the 2 groups ( t =0.038, 0.588, P >0.05), while the level of blood platelet count of patients in group E on PID 3 to 7 was significantly lower than that in group YM ( t =6.636, P <0.05). (3) The days of seriously or critically ill and death rate of patients in group E were respectively longer or higher than those in group YM ( Z =-2.303, χ (2)=13.676, P <0.05 or P <0.01). Conclusions: In the case of the same tissue perfusion at shock stage, injuries in heart, liver, kidney, lung, and coagulation system in elderly patients with severe burns are more obvious than those in young and middle-aged patients, with more severe illness and higher mortality.

Objective: To explore the effects of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) on autophagy in early hypoxic mouse cardiomyocytes and the mechanism in vitro. Methods: The hearts of 120 C57BL/6 mice aged 1-2 days, no matter male or female, were isolated, and then primary cardiomyocytes were cultured and used for the following experiments, the random number table was used for grouping. (1) The cells were divided into normoxia group and hypoxia 3, 6, and 9 h groups, with one well in each group. The cells in normoxia group were routinely cultured (the same below), the cells in hypoxia 3, 6, and 9 h groups were treated with fetal bovine serum-free and glucose-free Dulbecco' s modified Eagle medium under low oxygen condition in a volume fraction of 1% oxygen, 5% carbon dioxide, and 94% nitrogen for 3, 6, and 9 h, respectively. The protein expressions of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), Beclin-1, TRPV1 were determined with Western botting. (2) The cells were divided into normoxia group and hypoxia group, with two coverslips in each group. The cells in hypoxia group were treated with hypoxia for 6 h as above. The positive expression of TRPV1 was detected by immunofluorescence assay. (3) The cells were divided into 4 groups, with one well in each group. The cells in simple hypoxia group were treated with hypoxia for 6 h as above, and the cells in hypoxia+ 0.1 μmol/L capsaicin group, hypoxia+ 1.0 μmol/L capsaicin group, and hypoxia+ 10.0 μmol/L capsaicin group were respectively treated with 0.1, 1.0, 10.0 μmol/L capsaicin for 30 min before hypoxia for 6 h. The protein expressions of LC3, Beclin-1, and TRPV1 were detected by Western blotting. (4) The cells were divided into 5 groups, with 5 wells in each group. The cells in hypoxia group were treated with hypoxia for 6 h as above, the cells in hypoxia+ chloroquine group, hypoxia+ capsaicin group, and hypoxia+ capsaicin+ chloroquine group were treated with hypoxia for 6 h after being cultured with 50 μmol/L chloroquine, 10.0 μmol/L capsaicin, and 50 μmol/L chloroquine+ 10.0 μmol/L capsaicin for 30 min, respectively. Viability of cells was detected by cell counting kit 8 assay. (5) The cells were divided into simple hypoxia group and hypoxia+ 10.0 μmol/L capsaicin group, with one well in each group. The cells in hypoxia group were treated with hypoxia for 6 h as above, the cells in hypoxia+ 10.0 μmol/L capsaicin group were treated with 10.0 μmol/L capsaicin for 30 minutes and then with hypoxia for 6 h. The protein expressions of lysosomal associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP-1) and LAMP-2 were detected by Western blotting. Each experiment was repeated for 3 or 5 times. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance, least significant difference t test, and Bonferroni correction. Results: (1) Compared with those of normoxia group, the protein expressions of LC3, Beclin-1, and TRPV1 were significantly increased in cardiomyocytes of hypoxia 3, 6, and 9 h groups ( t (3 h)=4.891, 5.890, 4.928; t (6 h)=9.790, 6.750, 10.590; t (9 h)=6.948, 6.764, 5.049, P <0.05 or P <0.01), which of hypoxia 6 h group were the highest (1.08±0.05, 1.12±0.10, 0.953±0.071, respectively). (2) The density of TRPV1 in cell membrane and inside the cardiomyocytes in hypoxia group was significantly increased with lump-like distribution, and the expression of TRPV1 was higher than that in normoxia group. (3) Compared with those of simple hypoxia group, the protein expression of Beclin-1 in cardiomyocytes of hypoxia+ 0.1 μmol/L capsaicin group was increased ( t =10.488, P <0.01), while the protein expressions of LC3 and TRPV1 were increased without statistically significant differences ( t =4.372, 3.026, P >0.05); the protein expressions of LC3, TRPV1, and Beclin-1 in cardiomyocytes of hypoxia+ 1.0 μmol/L capsaicin group and hypoxia+ 10.0 μmol/L capsaicin group were significantly increased ( t =15.505, 5.773, 13.430; 20.915, 8.054, 16.384; P <0.05 or P <0.01), which of hypoxia+ 10.0 μmol/L capsaicin group were the highest (2.33±0.09, 1.34±0.07, 1.246±0.053, respectively). (4) Compared with 0.585±0.045 in normoxia group, the cardiomyocyte viability in hypoxia group was significantly decreased (0.471±0.037, t =4.365, P <0.05). Compared with that in hypoxia group, the cardiomyocyte viability in hypoxia+ chloroquine group was further decreased (0.350±0.023, t =6.216, P <0.01), while 0.564±0.047 in hypoxia+ capsaicin group was significantly increased ( t =3.489, P <0.05). Compared with that in hypoxia+ chloroquine group, the cardiomyocyte viability in hypoxia+ capsaicin+ chloroquine group did not significantly change (0.364±0.050, t =0.545, P >0.05). (5) Compared with 0.99±0.04 and 0.54±0.04 in simple hypoxia group, the protein expressions of LAMP-1 and LAMP-2 in hypoxia+ 10.0 μmol/L capsaicin group were significantly increased (1.49±0.06, 0.81±0.05, t =12.550, 7.442, P <0.01). Conclusions: TRPV1 can further promote the expression of autophagy-related proteins in hypoxic cardiomyocytes through autophagy-lysosomal pathway, enhance autophagy activity, and improve autophagic flow for alleviating early hypoxic cardiomyocyte injury.

Intraocular pressure is the most important and most easily controlled clinical parameters of glaucoma. It has a fluctuation and circadian rhythm. The 24 hours intraocular pressure measurement can better reflect the changes of intraocular pressure. It is clear that peak IOP is an independent risk factor for the progression of glaucoma, but the effect of IOP on glaucoma progression is worth exploring. This article focuses on whether IOP fluctuation is an independent risk factor for glaucoma progression, how to obtain the 24-hour intraocular pressure curve, the future direction of 24-hour intraocular pressure monitoring and other issues in order to cause clinical concern. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2017, 53: 85-88) .

Many previous studies have provided evidence that the ADIPOQ +45T>G polymorphism (rs2241766) might cause metabolic syndrome (MS). As a cardiovascular manifestation of MS, the incidence of stroke is associated with adiponectin; however, the results remain controversial and inconsistent. Systematic searches of relevant studies published up to Dec 2014 and Jan 2016 on the ADIPOQ +45T>G polymorphism and the risk of MS and adiponectin levels and the risk of stroke, respectively, were conducted in MEDLINE and EMBASE. The odds ratio (OR) or risk ratio (RR) and their 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were extracted. Sixteen studies containing 4,113 MS cases and 3,637 healthy controls indicated a weak positive association between ADIPOQ +45 T>G and MS in the dominant genetic model (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.03-1.65), which was also validated by stratified subgroup analyses. Twelve studies including 26,213 participants and 4,246 stroke cases indicated that 5 μg/ml increments in adiponectin level were not relevant to stroke risk (RR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.00-1.10, P = 0.069). This study suggested a weak positive association of ADIPOQ +45T>G with MS and a strong association with metabolic-related disease. Additionally, adiponectin level was not a causal factor of increasing stroke risk.

In the present work, several MEEKC systems are studied to assess their suitability for lipophilicity determination of acidic, neutral, and basic compounds. Thus, several microemulsion compositions over a wide range of pH values (from 2.0 to 12.0), containing heptane, 1-butanol and different types and amounts of surfactant (SDS or sodium cholate: from 1.3 to 3.3%) are characterized using Abraham's solvation model. The addition of acetonitrile (up to 10%) is also studied, since it increases the resolution of the technique for the most lipophilic compounds. The system coefficients obtained are very similar to those of the 1-octanol/water, used as the reference lipophilicity index, allowing simple and linear correlations between the 1-octanol/water partition values (log Po/w ) and MEEKC mass distribution ratios (log kMEEKC ). Variations in the microemulsion composition (aqueous buffer, surfactant, concentration of ACN) did not significantly affect the similarity of the MEEKC systems to log Po/w partition., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Multiple mechanisms contribute to progressive cardiac dysfunction after myocardial infarction (MI) and inflammation is an important mediator. Mast cells (MCs) trigger inflammation after MI by releasing bio-active factors that contribute to healing. c-Kit-deficient (Kit(W/W-v) ) mice have dysfunctional MCs and develop severe ventricular dilatation post-MI. We explored the role of MCs in post-MI repair. Mouse wild-type (WT) and Kit(W/W-v) MCs were obtained from bone marrow (BM). MC effects on fibroblasts were examined in vitro by proliferation and gel contraction assays. MCs were implanted into infarcted mouse hearts and their effects were evaluated using molecular, cellular and cardiac functional analyses. In contrast to WT, Kit(W/W-v) MC transplantation into Kit(W/W-v) mice did not improve cardiac function or scar size post-MI. Kit(W/W-v) MCs induced significantly reduced fibroblast proliferation and contraction compared to WT MCs. MC influence on fibroblast proliferation was Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-dependent and MC-induced fibroblast contractility functioned through transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. WT MCs transiently rescue cardiac function early post-MI, but the benefits of BM cell implantation lasted longer. MCs induced increased inflammation compared to the BM-injected mice, with increased neutrophil infiltration and infarct tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentration. This augmented inflammation was followed by increased angiogenesis and myofibroblast formation and reduced scar size at early time-points. Similar to the functional data, these beneficial effects were transient, largely vanishing by day 28. Dysfunctional Kit(W/W-v) MCs were unable to rescue cardiac function post-MI. WT MC implantation transiently enhanced angiogenesis and cardiac function. These data suggest that increased inflammation is beneficial to cardiac repair, but these effects are not persistent., (© 2015 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.)

Background: The best therapy to prevent esophageal variceal (EV) rebleeding in cirrhotic patients who are non-responsive to pharmacological therapy have not been determined., Aims: To evaluate efficacy of a strategy to assign different treatments according to hepatic vein pressure gradient (HVPG) values to prevent EV rebleeding in non-responders., Methods: This study is a non-randomized controlled prospective study. 109 cirrhotic patients with EV bleeding who were non-responders based on two HVPG measurements were enrolled and divided two groups: 55 patients (EVL+β-blocker group) were treated with endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) and nonselective β-blocker; 54 patients (HVPG-guided group) were treated with EVL and nonselective β-blocker if HVPG ≤ 16 mmHg (low-HVPG), with percutaneous transhepatic variceal embolization (PTVE) if HVPG > 16 mmHg and ≤ 20 mmHg (medium-HVPG), or with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) if HVPG > 20 mmHg (high-HVPG). Patients were followed up for rebleeding and mortality., Results: The mean follow-up period was 17.0 months; rebleeding was higher in the EVL+β-blocker group than HVPG-guided group (25.5%, 9.3%, P = 0.026); 3-year probability of rebleeding in the EVL+Beta-blocker group increased with elevated levels of HVPG (12.5% vs 46.4% vs 64.9%, χ(2) = 11.551, P = 0.003), and 3-year probability of survival was no difference (96.6% vs 85.7% vs 90.9%, χ(2) = 2.638, P = 0.267). Rebleeding rate in PTVE group (7.7%) was lower than that in EVL+β-blockergroup with medium-HVPG (35.7%), but there was no difference. Rebleeding rate in TIPS group (7.7%) was lower than that in EVL+β-blockergroup with high-HVPG (45.5%), but there was no difference., Conclusions: HVPG measurement was useful for making decisions to select EVL and Beta-blocker, PTVE or TIPS in secondary prophylaxis. HVPG-guided treatment is feasible and effective in preventing esophageal varices rebleeding.

Aim: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a clinical syndrome with chronic gastroduodenal symptoms without noticeable organic or systemic diseases. According to the Rome III consensus, FD can be subdivided into PDS (postprandial distress syndrome) and EPS (epigastric pain syndrome). Neurotransmitters are involved in the development and pathology of FD. However, the expression profiles of neurotransmitters in FD patients are not clear. This study aimed to investigate the expression profile of neurotransmitters in the duodenal mucosa of FD patients., Methods: A total of 48 FD patients treated at our hospital were included in this study: 23 patients with PDS and 25 patients with EPS. Another 21 healthy volunteers served as normal controls. The duodenal mucosa was biopsied with gastroscopy and examined with immunohistochemical staining against serotonin, substance P, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). Mast cells were identified with toluidine blue staining., Results: The duodenal iNOS levels were significantly higher in PDS patients than the normal controls (P<0.05). The expression of serotonin, substance P, and VIP did not differ significantly among the groups. Mast cell counts and the percentage of mast cells with degranulation were significantly higher in PDS and EPS patients than normal controls (P<0.001) In addition, iNOS expression levels were positively correlated with percentage of degranulating mast cells (r=0.321, P=0.008)., Conclusions: In conclusion, duodenal iNOS may be involved in the pathogenesis of PDS., (© 2015 by the Association of Clinical Scientists, Inc.)

Background: Patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) have increased risks for psychological dysfunction than healthy peoples. This study aimed to explore the roles of psychosocial factors and duodenal mast cells in the pathogenesis of FD., Material and Methods: We prospectively included 48 FD patients and 21 age- and sex-match healthy volunteers. There were 23 patients with postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) and 25 patients with epigastric pain syndrome (EPS). The Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) was administered to evaluate their psychosocial status. Upper endoscopy was performed with biopsy of the mucosa from the bulb of duodenum. Mast cells counts and degranulation rates were identified by toluidine blue staining. The relationship among the scores of HADS-A (anxiety) and HADS-D (depression) and the mast cell counts and degranulation rates were analyzed., Results: The scores of HADS-A and HADS-D were significantly higher in PDS and EPS patients than the normal controls (P<0.05). The mast cell counts and degranulation rates in the duodenum were significantly increased in PDS and EPS patients than the controls (P<0.05). In either PDS or EPS patients, the HADS-A and HADS-D scores were positively correlated with the mast cell counts and degranulation rate., Conclusion: FD patients had significantly higher risks for anxiety and depression, which may lead to FD through the increased mast cell counts and degranulation.

CD43 (leukosialin) is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed in a variety of hematopoietic cells, including B lymphocytes, and a variety of malignancies including lymphoma, leukemia, and solid tumors. CD43 plays an important role in the development of many diseases, and coexpression of CD43 and CD20 on peripheral B cells is a predictive factor of hematopoietic malignancy. Although CD43 is expressed in approximately 25% of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs), its prognostic significance remains unclear. To analyze CD43 expression in DLBCL, not otherwise specified (DLBCL, NOS), and assess its prognostic value, we analyzed clinical data from 160 patients with DLBCL, NOS. We observed that CD43 expression was detected in 47 (29.4%) of 160 cases. CD43 expression was positively correlated with old age (>60 years), high serum lactate dehydrogenase level, B symptoms, non-germinal center type, and DLBCL, NOS, mortality. Patients with CD43-positive DLBCL, NOS, had poorer overall survival (P < .001, log-rank test) and event-free survival (P < .001, log-rank test) than CD43-negative patients. Univariate analysis showed that CD43 expression, age, sex, Ann Arbor stage, International Prognostic Index category, and germinal center phenotype were prognostic factors for DLBCL, NOS, patient survival. Multivariate analysis showed that CD43 expression was an independent significant prognostic factor for event-free survival (P < .001) and overall survival (P < .001). Based on these data, we conclude that CD43 expression is a novel adverse prognostic factor for patients with DLBCL, NOS., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Aberrations in gene methylation patterns play important roles in gliomagenesis. However, whether the ALDH1A3 promoter methylation is related to prognoses of primary glioblastomas (GBMs) in Western China remains unclear., Materials and Methods: Methylation levels of ALDH1A3 CpG island in 36 GBMs were identified by pyrophosphate sequencing, while ALDH1A3 expression was assessed with matched paraffin section immunohistochemistry. Survival curves were analysed by Kaplan-Meier., Results: The hypermethylation status of ALDH1A3 promoter predicted a better prognosis accompanied with low expression of ALDH1A3 protein., Conclusions: Our results indicate ALDH1A3 promoter methylation correlates with prognosis in primary GBMs.

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) causes seasonal epidemics of hand-foot-and-mouth disease and has a high mortality rate among young children. We recently demonstrated potent induction of the humoral and cell-mediated immune response in monkeys immunized with EV71 virus-like particles (VLPs), with a morphology resembling that of infectious EV71 virions but not containing a viral genome, which could potentially be safe as a vaccine for EV71. To elucidate the mechanisms through which EV71 VLPs induce cell-mediated immunity, we studied the immunomodulatory effects of EV71 VLPs on human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs), which bind to and incorporate EV71 VLPs. DC treatment with EV71 VLPs enhanced the expression of CD80, CD86, CD83, CD40, CD54, and HLA-DR on the cell surface; increased the production of interleukin (IL)-12 p40, IL-12 p70, and IL-10 by DCs; and suppressed the capacity of DCs for endocytosis. Treatment with EV71 VLPs also enhanced the ability of DCs to stimulate naïve T cells and induced secretion of interferon (IFN)-γ by T cells and Th1 cell responses. Neutralization with antibodies against Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 suppressed the capacity of EV71 VLPs to induce the production of IL-12 p40, IL-12 p70, and IL-10 by DCs and inhibited EV71 VLPs binding to DCs. Our study findings clarified the important role for TLR4 signaling in DCs in response to EV71 VLPs and showed that EV71 VLPs induced inhibitor of kappaB alpha (IκBα) degradation and nuclear factor of kappaB (NF-κB) activation.

Objectives: Tumorigenesis is a multistep process that begins with the abrogation of normal controls of apoptosis and cell proliferation, and the Fas receptor-ligand system is a key regulator of apoptosis. The Fas -670 A/G single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) has been demonstrated to affect the expression of the Fas gene by altering the transcriptional activity in this gene's promoter. However, the association between the Fas -670 A/G polymorphism and digestive cancer risk is still controversial and ambiguous in the Asian population, so we conducted a meta-analysis to confirm and clarify the association between the Fas -670 A/G polymorphism and digestive cancer., Materials and Methods: A search of PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and WanFang databases was conducted and encompassed all available articles that had been published up to July 20, 2013. Overall, 15 case-control studies containing 3692 cases and 4895 controls were retrieved based on search criteria for digestive cancer susceptibility related to -670A/G SNP. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of this association., Results: In the overall analysis, the country type and source of control subgroups, no association between the Fas -670 A/G polymorphism and digestive cancer risk was found. However, in the digestive cancer-type subgroups, a significant protective effect was detected between Fas -670 A/G polymorphism and hepatocellular carcinoma in Asians (AG vs. GG: OR=0.89, 95% CI=0.80-0.99; AA+AG vs. GG: OR=0.93, 95% CI=0.87-1.00)., Conclusions: Our investigations demonstrated that the Fas -670 A/G polymorphism might decrease the hepatocellular carcinoma risk in Asian populations. Further studies based on larger sample sizes, other ethnicities, and gene-environment interactions should be conducted to further understand the role of Fas -670 A/G polymorphism in digestive cancer risk.

An increase in interleukin (IL)-17A-producing cells, particularly at sites of tissue inflammation, is observed frequently, yet the mechanism is not fully understood. This study aims to dissect the role of IL-17 in autoimmunity-mediated neuroinflammation. The cytokine milieu containing elevated IL-17, which often appears in active states of autoimmunity, was mimicked in vitro by a supernatant obtained from rat peripheral blood monocytes stimulated with phorbol mystistate acetate (PMA)/ionomycin. The application of such inflammatory media on only primary cultured cerebellar granule neurones resulted in significant apoptosis, but the presence of astrocytes largely prevented the effect. The supernatants of the stimulated astrocytes, especially those that contained the highest level of IL-17, achieved the best protection, and this effect could be blocked by anti-IL-17 antibodies. Protein IL-17 inhibited intracellular calcium increase and protected the neurones under inflammatory attack from apoptosis. IL-17, but not interferon (IFN)-γ, in the inflammatory media contributed to astrocyte secretion of IL-17, which depended on the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway activation. The astrocytes that were treated with IL-17 alone or with prolonged treatment of the inflammatory media failed to produce sufficient levels of IL-17. Moreover, confirmatory data were obtained in vivo in a monophasic experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) in Lewis rats; in this preparation, the high-level IL-17-containing the cytokine milieu was demonstrated, along with IL-17 secretion by the resident neural cells. The antagonism of IL-17 at a late stage disturbed the disease resolution and resulted in significant neural apoptosis. Our data show a dynamic role of IL-17 in the maintenance of homeostasis and neuroprotection in active neuroinflammation., (© 2013 British Society for Immunology.)

Background: Evidence supporting an association between the 8q24 rs4242382-A polymorphism and prostate cancer (PCa) risk has been reported in North American and Europe populations, though data from Asian populations remain limited. We therefore investigated this association by clinical detection in China, and meta-analysis in Asian, Caucasian and African-American populations., Materials and Methods: Blood samples and clinical information were collected from ethnically Chinese men from Northern China with histologically- confirmed PCa (n=335) and from age-matched normal controls (n=347). The 8q24 (rs4242382) gene polymorphism was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-high-resolution melting analysis. We initially analyzed the associations between the risk allele and PCa and clinical covariates. A meta-analysis was then performed using genotyping data from a total of 1,793 PCa cases and 1,864 controls from our study and previously published studies in American and European populations, to determine the association between PCa and risk genotype., Results: The incidence of the risk allele was higher in PCa cases than controls (0.222 vs 0.140, P=7.3?10-5), suggesting that the 8q24 rs4242382-A polymorphism was associated with PCa risk in Chinese men. The genotypes in subjects were in accordance with a dominant genetic model (ORadj=2.03, 95%CI: 1.42-2.91, Padj=1.1?10-4). Presence of the risk allele rs4242382-A at 8q24 was also associated with clinical covariates including age at diagnosis ≥65 years, prostate specific antigen >10 ng/ml, Gleason score <8, tumor stage and aggressive PCa, compared with the non-risk genotype (P=4.6?10-5-3.0?10-2). Meta-analysis confirmed the association between 8q24 rs4242382-A polymorphism and PCa risk (OR=1.62, 95%CI: 1.39-1.88, P=1.0?10-5) across Asian, Caucasian and African American populations., Conclusions: The replicated data suggest that the 8q24 rs4242382-A variation might be associated with increased PCa susceptibility in Asian, Caucasian and African American populations. These results imply that this polymorphism may be a useful risk biomarker for PCa in multi-ethnic populations.

Objective: To illustrate the molecular mechanism of skeletal muscle growth by examining the effect of swimming training on skeletal muscle growth and p70s6k, rpS6 protein expression., Methods: Twenty four male SD rats were used to establish swimming training models with a 15% body mass load. The training protocol adopted interval swimming training (every other day with 8 weeks). The gastrocnemius and soleus muscle were collected and weighed after training, and the protein expression of p70s6k, rpS6 and their phosphorylated forms were examined., Results: After 8 weeks treatment, no significant change was observed in skeletal muscle mass between training group (T) and control group (C) (P > 0.05), but muscle mass in training rapamycin (TR) group has a significantly decrease compared with that in T and C groups (P < 0.05). Soleus and gastrocnemius muscle mass index in T group increased significantly compared with C group (P < 0.05). Compared with the C group, the ratio of P-p70s6k/p70s6k in T group increased with significant difference (P < 0.05), but the ratio in TR group was significantly reduced (P < 0.05). The ratio of P-rpS6/rpS6 had a significant difference between TR and T group (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: These results suggest that the interval training protocol is helpful to increase the relative muscle hypertrophy, and has a role in promoting the expression of p70s6k and rpS6.

The enhancements of electrolysis-pretreated conditioning were investigated in this study. Normalized capillary suction time (CST) was used to evaluate sludge dewaterability. Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) concentration, viscosity and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were determined to explain the observed changes in conditioning process. It indicated that pretreatment at 50 v and 5 min with Ti/RuO(2) anode was determined to be the optimal condition, which generated the lowest normalized CST and optimal soluble EPS concentration, leading to the decreasing of viscosity. EPS had positive correlation with the normalized CST. Subjecting to a combination of electrolysis pretreatment and flocculants conditioning, 50% dosage of cationic polyacrylamide (PAM) could be reduced. When co-conditioned with electrolysis and polymerization ferric sulfate (PFS), it did not present any clear advantages over PFS conditioning alone. Furthermore, SEM investigation indicated that electrolysis pretreatment could rupture sludge, release the interstitial water and extracellular substances, especially protein and polysaccharide, and consequently enhance its dewaterability., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The potential effects of electro-chemical conditioning on sludge dewatering treatments and its mechanism were investigated in this study. Capillary suction time (CST) and specific resistance to filtration (SRF) were used to evaluate sludge dewaterability. Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) content and sludge disintegration degree (DD(SCOD)) were also determined in an attempt to explain the observed changes in sludge dewaterability. The results indicated that application of considered low electrolysis voltages (<20 V) enhanced sludge dewaterability, while it exceeded 30 V, the dewaterability of sludge was significantly deteriorated. Also, electrolysis pretreatment slightly enhanced sludge dewaterability with short electrolysis time (<20 min), while it significantly deteriorated sludge dewaterability with long electrolysis time (>30 min). The optimal electrolysis voltage and electrolysis time to give preferable dewaterability characteristics were found to be 15-20 V, and 15-20 min, respectively, which generated sludge with optimal EPS content (15-20mg/L) and DD(SCOD) (1.3-2.0%)., (Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The PAX6 gene encodes a transcriptional regulator involved in oculogenesis and other developmental processes such as aniridia, a congenital condition characterized by the underdevelopment of the iris of eyes. The function of the PAX6 gene in these two conditions is still poorly defined. The purpose of this study is to identify the mutation of the PAX6 gene in a Chinese family with aniridia., Methods: Two aniridia patients collected from the family underwent full ophthalmologic examination. Genomic DNA was prepared from venous leukocytes of the two patients and five healthy individuals in the family, and 100 unrelated healthycontrols. Exons 4-13 and their immediate flanking sequences of the PAX6 gene was analyzed by PCR amplification, direct sequencing, and single-strand conformation polymorphism(SSCP)., Results: The sequencing result revealed a novel PAX6 mutation in the two patients. It was a heterozygous mutation (IVS10+1G>A) at the boundary of exon 10 and intron 10. The mutation was also detected by SSCP analysis. It was not detected in the healthy relatives and unrelated controls., Conclusion: Aniridia is an autosomal dominant inheritable disease. A novel PAX6 gene mutation has been identified in the Northeastern Chinese family with aniridia. The genetic analysis suggested that this novel mutation in the PAX6 gene is capable of causing the classic aniridia phenotype.

Electrochemical technology with a pair of RuO(2)/Ti mesh plate electrode is first applied to pre-treat Waste Activated Sludge (WAS) prior to aerobic digestion in this study. The effects of various operating conditions were investigated including electrolysis time, electric power, current density, initial pH of sludge and sludge concentration. The study showed that the sludge reduction increased with the electrolysis time, electric power or current density, while decreased with the sludge concentration. Additionally, higher or lower pH than 7.0 was propitious to remove organic matters. The electrochemical pre-treatment removed volatile solids (VS) and volatile suspended solids (VSS) by 2.75% and 7.87%, respectively, with a WAS concentration of 12.9 g/L, electrolysis time of 30 min, electric power of 5 W and initial sludge pH of 10. In the subsequent aerobic digestion, the sludge reductions for VS and VSS after solids retention time (SRT) of 17.5 days were 34.25% and 39.59%, respectively. However, a SRT of 23.5 days was necessary to achieve equivalent reductions without electrochemical pre-treatment. Sludge analysis by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images and infrared (IR) spectra indicated that electrochemical pre-treatment can rupture sludge cells, remove and solubilize intracellular substances, especially protein and polysaccharide, and consequently enhance the aerobic digestion., ((c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aim: The goal of this project was to develop a rat model for neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation studies in which NSCs were modified with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) genes that may permit extensive and reliable analysis of the transplants., Methods: NSCs were cultured and purified by limiting dilution assay in vitro and infected with recombinant retrovirus pLXSN-BDNF (BDNF-NSCs) and retrovirus pLXSN (p-NSCs). The expression of BDNF genes in transgenic and control NSC groups was measured by FQ-PCR and ELISA assays. NSCs were then transplanted into the subretinal space of normal rat retinas in four groups, which included NSCs alone, BDNF-NSCs, phosphate buffered saline (PBS) control, and normal control. Survival, migration, and differentiation of donor cells in host retinas were observed with optical coherence tomography (OCT), Heidelberg retina angiograph (HRA), and immunohistochemistry, respectively., Results: The results obtained by FQ-PCR demonstrated that the copy numbers of BDNF gene templates from BDNF-NSCs were the highest among the four groups (P<0.05). Consistent with the results of FQ-PCR, BDNF protein level from the supernatant of the BDNF-NSCs group was much higher than that of the other two groups (P<0.05) as suggested by the ELISA assays. HRA and OCT showed that graft cells could successfully survive. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that transplanted BDNF-NSCs could migrate in the host retinas and differentiate into glial cells and neurons three months after transplantation., Conclusion: BDNF promotes NSCs to migrate and differentiate into neural cells in the normal host retinas.

Background: Neural stem cells (NSCs) transplantation and gene therapy have been widely investigated for treating the cerebullar and myelonic injuries, however, studies on the ophthalmology are rare. The aim of this study was to investigate the migration and differentiation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene transgenic NSCs transplanted into the normal rat retinas., Methods: NSCs were cultured and purified in vitro and infected with recombinant retrovirus pLXSN-BDNF and pLXSN respectively, to obtain the BDNF overexpressed NSCs (BDNF-NSCs) and control cells (p-NSCs). The expression of BDNF genes in two transgenic NSCs and untreated NSCs were measured by fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). BDNF-NSCs and NSCs were infected with adeno-associated viruses-enhanced green fluorescent protein (AAV-EGFP) to track them in vivo and served as donor cells for transplantation into the subretinal space of normal rat retinas, phosphated buffer solution (PBS) served as pseudo transplantation for a negative control. Survival, migration, and differentiation of donor cells in host retinas were observed and analyzed with Heidelberg retina angiograph (HRA) and immunohistochemistry, respectively., Results: NSCs were purified successfully by limiting dilution assay. The expression of BDNF gene in BDNF-NSCs was the highest among three groups both at mRNA level tested by FQ-PCR (P < 0.05) and at protein level measured by ELISA (P < 0.05), which showed that BDNF was overexpressed in BDNF-NSCs. The results of HRA demonstrated that graft cells could survive well and migrate into the host retinas, while the immunohistochemical analysis revealed that transplanted BDNF-NSCs differentiated into neuron more efficiently compared with the control NSCs 2 months after transplantation., Conclusions: The seed cells of NSCs highly secreting BDNF were established. BDNF can promote NSCs to migrate and differentiate into neural cells in the normal host retinas.

The sorption of Cd(2+) by Streptomyces sp. K33 and HL-12 was investigated. The removal efficiency increased with pH, but no obvious differences with different temperatures. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) was used to characterize the interaction between Cd(2+) and K33 and HL-12. Results revealed that the presence of amino, carboxyl, hydroxyl and carbonyl groups were responsible for the biosorption of Cd(2+). Strain HL-12 had more changes in the functional groups than K33. Biosorption equilibrium was established earlier by strain K33 than that by HL-12, and K33 had higher adsorption ratio. Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherms were used to describe the adsorption experiment, Langmuir model fitted the experiment data best. Strain K33 showed greater sorption capacities with 38.49 mg Cd(2+)/g dry cells. Pseudo-first-order and second-order kinetic models were used to describe the kinetic data, and second-order kinetic model fitted better. About 70% recovery of Cd(2+) could be obtained at pH

An actinomycete, strain HL-12, that was isolated from a farmland on the Huajiachi campus of Zhejiang University was capable of inhibiting the growth of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) and was identified as a member of Streptomyces. Its antimicrobial activity against Cmm was measured using the agar plate sensitivity method in pure culture and evaluated by the inhibition ratio of Cmm in soil. The inhibitory activity of strain HL-12 against Cmm following exposure to low concentrations of Cd was greater than the inhibitory activity following exposure to high concentrations of Cd both in liquid culture and in soil. A stronger inhibition was also seen following a 24 h preculture in the presence of Cd in liquid culture. The growth of Cmm in soil was stimulated at low concentrations of Cd (<5.0 mg Cd kg(-1) dry soil) but inhibited when cultured in high concentrations of Cd (5.0 and 10.0 mg Cd kg(-1) dry soil). A higher inhibition ratio of strain HL-12 against Cmm, which was over 40% after soil incubation for 2 weeks, was observed following exposure to low concentrations of Cd (<5.0 mg Cd kg(-1) dry soil).

Objective: To investigate the role of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) after trabeculectomy associated with wound healing and to identify the role of CTGF in this process., Methods: It was a experimental study. Forty-nine rabbits were used and divided into 5 groups: normal eyes without trabeculectomy group (group A), ocular hypertension (OHT) model without trabeculectomy group (group B), OHT model with trabeculectomy group (group C), normal eyes with trabeculectomy group (group D) and normal eyes with sham operation group (group E). Group A and B were as control. CTGF mRNA was detected by RT-PCR using blebs and tissues harvested at day 2, 5, 7, and 14. Three replicates of three blebs per time point in the right eyes were collected. The expression of CTGF protein was detected by immunohistochemistry and inflammatory histopathology was inspected by HE staining using the whole eyeball harvested in the left eyes., Results: Compared to group A and B, the expression of CTGF was significantly increased at day 5 after surgery (F = 19.54, P < 0.05) in group C, D, and E. The expression of CTGF mRNA in group C is significantly higher than that in group D at day 2 and 5 (t = 2.300, 5.140, P < 0.05), while group D is significantly higher than that in group E at day 2, 5, 7, and 14 (t = -2.927, -6.424, -4.176, -4.997, P < 0.05). The expression of CTGF protein in group C is significantly higher than that in group D (t = -7.147, -10.955, -9.900, -6.385, P < 0.05), and group D is higher than that in group E (F = 68.33, P < 0.05) at day 2, 5, 7, and 14, respectively. Inflammatory reaction reached peak at day 5 after surgery in group C, D, and E showing an infiltration of neutrophil, monocytes, macrophages, and the proliferation of fibroblast., Conclusions: Overexpression of CTGF in the blebs after trabeculectomy demonstrates that CTGF may play an important role in the process of wound healing. Furthermore, ocular hypertension may be involved in the upregulation of CTGF expression.

Objective: To identify the mutation of the PAX6 gene in a northeastern Chinese family with aniridia., Methods: Three aniridia patients from the family were undergone full ophthalmologic examinations. Genomic DNA was prepared from venous leukocytes from these three patients, five non-carriers in the family as well as 100 healthy normal controls. The coding regions of PAX6 gene were analyzed by PCR amplification, single-strand conformation polymorphism and direct DNA sequencing., Results: The sequencing result revealed one novel PAX6 mutation in the three patients with familial aniridia. The mutation is a 9 base pair(bp) deletion in exon 5 (c.483del9) that results in a putative PAX6 protein with in-frame deletions of aspartic acid, isoleucine and serine at the amino acids 41-43., Conclusion: A PAX6 gene mutation beyond the existing spectrum of mutations has been identified in a northeastern Chinese family with aniridia. The genetic analysis suggests that the novel mutation in the PAX6 gene may be the cause of the classical aniridia phenotype.

Objective: To identify the mutation gene of two Chinese families with primary open angle glaucoma., Methods: It was a case control study. Clinical observation and pedigree analysis were undertaken in two families with primary open angle glaucoma. Venous blood were drawn from 6 affected and 6 unaffected subjects in family L, and from 4 affected and 4 unaffected subjects in family C. Genomic DNA was extracted. Linkage to OPTN gene locus was determined. Mutation of this gene was screened by PCR of OPTN gene exons and direct sequencing., Results: A missense mutation A1274G in exon 10 of OPTN gene was identified in affected members of family L. The corresponding amino acid change was Lys322Glu. This mutation was not found in unaffected family members of family L, all members of family C and 87 unrelated normal controls., Conclusion: A novel mutation of OPTN gene with Lys322Glu change is responsible for the occurrence of primary open angle glaucoma in a Chinese family.

Purpose: To observe the influence on the retinal ganglion cells induced by 2,450-MHz microwave. The radiant intensities were 10, 30 and 60 mW x cm(-2)., Methods: Retinal ganglion cells were cultured in vitro and divided into 4 groups, of which 3 were exposed to different intensities of microwaves and 1 was the control group. The morphological variation of cells was observed by invert microscope. The survival rate was assessed by trypan blue. Annexin V-PI 2-color flow cytometry was used to detect the percentage of earlier apoptosis cells after radiation., Results: The changes in the morphology of all cells were observed after radiation. The cell survival rates were reduced and the earlier apoptosis increased with growing microwave intensity., Conclusions: The 2,450-MHz microwave will cause damage to retinal ganglion cells in a dose-dependent manner., ((c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Objective: To explore therapeutic effect of glutathione (GSH) on unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) induced renal interstitial fibrosis and its mechanism in rat., Methods: Thirty-six adult healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (each n=12): sham operation group, UUO group and GSH group. Rats in UUO group and GSH group underwent left unilateral ureteral ligation as described previously. Rats in sham group had their ureters manipulated but not ligated. In GSH group, GSH was injected intraperitoneally (100 mg.kg(-1).d(-1)) in different doses based on the animal's body weight, one day before UUO and then for consecutive 10 days after UUO. Meantime, same volume of physiological saline was given in sham operation and UUO groups as GSH group. Animals were sacrificed at 10 days after surgery. The pathological changes in obstructed kidney tissue were observed with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Masson stains. The contents of hydroxyproline (Hyp) and total anti-oxygen capability (T-AOC) were measured by chemical colorimetry method, the activity of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) was assayed by a modified xanthine/xanthine oxidase method, and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was determined by thiobarbituric acid method., Results: Ten days after UUO, swelling and atrophy in renal parenchyma of obstructed kidneys were clearly observed. Fibrous material and monocyte infiltration were increased in the interstitial space. Furthermore, thickening of interstitial space of the tubular basement membrane and widening of the interstitial space of the renal cortex were noted. Hypertrophy or atrophy of juxtaglomerular tubules were also observed. There were cellular or albumin casts in a part of tubules. Interstitial fibrosis was observed in obstructed kidneys 10 days after UUO. The data indicated that ureteral obstruction significantly increased the contents of Hyp and MDA, but decreased the content of T-AOC and T-SOD activity, as compared with sham operation group [Hyp: (0.524+/-0.132) microg/mg, T-AOC: (1.48+/-0.21) U/mg, T-SOD: (12.77+/-0.76) U/mg, MDA: (2.65+/-0.32) nmol/mg, all P<0.01]. Compared with UUO group, pathological changes were milder and the contents of Hyp [(1.598+/- 0.252) microg/mg vs. (1.027+/-0.196) microg/mg, P<0.05] and MDA [(4.58+/-0.59) nmol/mg vs. (3.26+/- 0.34) nmol/mg, P<0.05] were significantly decreased in kidney of GSH group, meanwhile the content of T-AOC was increased [(0.67+/-0.19) U/mg vs. (0.94+/-0.17) U/mg, P<0.05], but the content of T-SOD did not show any change [(9.39+/-0.87) U/mg vs. (9.41+/-0.93) U/mg, P>0.05]., Conclusion: Reduced glutathione treatment attenuates UUO-induced renal interstitial fibrosis via decreasing content of Hyp in UUO kidney and preventing oxidation stress injury.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) and its causes in a rural area in Changchun, China., Methods: From the rural area of Qijiaxiang, Shuangyang district of Changchun, 1139 individuals aged 40 years and above were randomly selected for the study from September 2004 to February 2005 using Zhao Jialiang's standard. All subjects in this study underwent a preliminary screening examination including visual acuity, the peripheral depth of anterior chamber, slit lamp, tonometry and fundus. The suspects of PACG were asked to repeat the following examinations: tonometry, gonioscopy, fundus, and visual field assessment., Results: 1139 of 1528 subjects were invited to participate in the study (response rate 74.5%). In those age 40 years and above, the prevalence of PACG was 1.5% in men, 3.5% in women, and 2.5% in general population, respectively. The prevalence was increased with age. The anterior chamber was significantly (P<0.01) narrower in the female group than in the male group when the peripheral depth of anterior chamber was compared. The prevalence of PACG was significantly (P<0.02) higher in subjects with positive family history than with negative family history., Conclusions: In the rural area in Shuangyang district of Changchun, the prevalence of PACG is higher than other regions surveyed in China. Sex, age, family history and the peripheral depth of anterior chamber are significant risk factors in PACG.

Objective: To analysis the association of apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) in northeast of China., Method: The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique were used to detect the distribution of genotype and gene frequency of APOE alleles in 36 patients with POAG, 69 with PACG and 57 healthy subjects as control., Results: The frequency of APOE epsilon 3/epsilon 4 genotype in POAG group (41.7%)and epsilon 2/epsilon 4 in PACG group (43.5%) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that in control group (14.0% and 21.1%, respectively). The frequency of APOE epsilon 4 allele in both of POAG (37.5%) and PACG group (39.2%) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that in control group (17.5%), whereas the frequency of APOE epsilon 2 allele in POAG group (8.3%) was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that in control group (15.8%)., Conclusion: APOE epsilon 4 allele may be a latent risk factor in the development of primary glaucoma, but APOE epsilon 2 allele may play a protective role in POAG and warrant further investigation.